red
by violet summer
Summary: AU. Naruto, a famous quarterback, falls in love when he finds Gaara waiting tables half-naked at a burlesque pub in LA, but Gaara will have to face an ex-fiancee used to killing to get what she wants and a homophobic father armed with hitmen. NaGaa.
1. fine

Disclaimer - I do not own any copyrighted material affiliated with Naruto or anything/one therein, 'Never Felt This Way' by Alicia Keys, 'Sweat' by Peter Hadar,

Whew! First Naruto fic EVER, I feel so excited. For those that don't know, there was an entire fiasco that led to me writing this fic. So, for lack of time, just know that this fic will probably be a bit different than what you're used to reading and I'll leave it at that. To those whom it may concern, I've written two fics in the past and deleted both of them. Something always happens that makes me delete it, even if it is a good one. BUT, this time I'm going to definitely finish this one, you can count on it. To all my readers that loved 'Summer', I extend my deepest apologies. I realize that I should have just stuck with it but I've failed you. Think of this as my 'make it up to you' fic. However for everyone else please read and review. One thing you'll notice is that I'm not exactly the speediest updater, probably because I'm an extremely slow writer. I literally change each passage three times before I'm satisfied with it. But enough of my babbling. I've always wanted to write a Naruto fic and now I finally get to do it. Hope you'll enjoy ~

* * *

><p><em><strong>There will never come a day<strong>_

_**You will ever hear me say**_

_**That I want or need to be without you...**_

Summertime was not as friendly as expected before football season started. A nationally acclaimed team practiced under the sun's warm gaze as a keen professional coach watched from the sidelines for ways to tweak his efficient machine made of men. The field they were in was barricaded off by a large dome wall and a few bleachers.

LA was their location and home as many of them lived within the vicinity of they place in which they practiced.

_**I wanna give my all**_

_**Baby just hold me**_

_**Simply control me**_

_**Because your arms**_

_**They keep away the lonely...**_

A tall blonde haired man of 26 years, the quarterback, was the first to leave after practice was over. His shoulders highlighted his masculinity as did his square jaw and hulking form.

He was in a hurry to exit practiceUnusual behavior for his normal tendency to stay behind after everyone had left.

Sweat darkened his hair as he ran and doused his face with a cold bottle of water.

Naruto Uzumaki jumped in the shower as fast as his strong legs would take him without slipping and acquiring a concussion.

The rest of the team poured in at a lackadaisical pace and a few stood and gave him a bewildered look as was already dressed in his everyday clothes and ready to leave, wallet and keys in hand.

"Damn Uzumaki! You late somewhere?" The locker room vibrated with deep voiced laughter.

_**When I look into your eyes**_

_**Then I realize**_

_**All I need is you in my life**_

_**All I need is you in my life...**_

"Ha-ha", he retorted sarcastically shooting the bird at the still laughing lineman. "I'm just ready to go home, I'm beat". He said on his way out the other door.

"Don't be beat too long", the lineman yelled out to him in a country Texas accent. "We got a game Sunday".

_**Cause I've never felt this way about love and**_

_**Baby**_

_**Never felt this way about love and it feels so**_

_**Good...**_

At a red light he felt his phone buzz in the cup holder next to him. The name above the missed call icon dragged his mind back through memories that he wishes he hadn't realized.

Cars behind him began to honk angrily and shout curses from their windows.

His destination was still unknown as he circled the same block between his loft and Maude's. Maude's was a restaurant where you always came out knowing your sexual identity for sure; whether gay, bi-curious, or straight.

It held true to its slogan. "With food in your stomach and a round young ass in your face, a man's bound to leave with a smile". Vulgar and uncouth, but true.

Naruto Uzumaki was an avid bi-sexual, but only behind closed doors. The boys and men around the country that looked up to him and admired his ability as a football player would be crushed at the news of their beloved pig-skin hero sporting a twink in his lap.

The restaurant, although popular, was heard about in secret by a closeted gay halfback.

When he pulled up to the parking garage, it was already getting dark; He could see a few of his team mates coming down the street, packing themselves in one SUV. The gold-diggers (men and women) foamed at the mouth at the money bags driving down the street.

A few women in a small group primed their hair and checked their make-up before walking in the club highlighted in neon lights to work their magic.

In lieu of not being seen he floored into the garage and parked in the section in the back with the rest of the more expensive cars. A Lamborghini sitting in the middle of a horde of whoopties and hatchbacks would be a little suspicious.

Walking to the elevator, his phone started to buzz again.

_Charlotte _

A feeling inside of him wanted to throw the device at the wall and marvel at its many pieces scattered across the concrete floor.

The elevator door opened and much to his relief, it was empty.

When the two doors opened, they revealed a circular bar/strip club/restaurant. In one third of the room were booths and tables, on the next two thirds were seats in front of a stage laced with lights and a shiny pole extending from the floor of the stage to the ceiling

On the stage was a young and slender boy dancing his rent and utilities away. Below in the stage was a row of theatre-like seats occupied by men of all ages tossing bills onto the stage, whistling and shouting dirty things at him.

To the very end of the place was a brightly lit up bar. Behind it was a bar tender with beautiful long hair down his back, polishing glasses.

"You lost sonny-boy?"

Naruto jumped about a foot into the air as the stern voice of a short woman in a shiny blouse and black slacks. Her hair was free and wild about her head and she peered up at him above the brim of her bi-focals.

Her name tag read 'Chloe'.

Naruto snapped out of his frightened stupor when she proceeded to snap in his face.

"Oh! No I'm not lost, I just...uh heard about you guys through the grape vine and uh...thought I'd check it out you know?"

She looked back up at him again and sighed. "You bi-sexuals trip me up sometimes".

"I'm not bisexual".

"Mmm Hmm. And I had tea with the Queen this morning. Sweet lady", she said sarcastically scribbling something on her notepad. "Right this way".

She led him to a booth closer to the front of the stage. He took a look around and made sure that there was no one there that could recognize him. He knew men were football fans; regardless of sexual orientation.

"One of our waiters will be right with you", she said in a feigned polite voice.

_What the hell is with her?_

The stage lights dimmed a little. Another dancer wouldn't be coming out for a while.

Like a breath of summer air, a boy of about 19 years was exhaled out of the back room. Naruto's jaw seemed to roll out of his skull and onto the floor below his feet. He couldn't speak.

_**Sweatin like this feels so damn good...**_

His hair was a fiery red, only it didn't look dyed. It was definitely real. His eyes were lined with a dark and thin line. He walked as if he were on a run way yet his bare feet, like the other waiters, were light and dainty.

On his forehead was the kanji for 'love', also in red.

His hips and thighs were thick and full, they rocked at the pace of his stride, acting as a hypnotist for Naruto as his eyes followed his every step.

The features of his face appealed to a darker side yet his bright smile lit up the difference and conflict.

As soon as he saw that the table behind him was finished with the bill, he passed a nearly drooling Naruto's booth.

"I'll be right with you sir".

His voice was a soft as fresh linen. It was as if he were hypnotizing the quarterback without even having to try.

He leaned over the booth to grab the wad of bills the previous man had left for a tip. Naruto, on the side of the booth facing him, nearly exploded in his pants. His ass was round, full and beautiful.

All the waiters were wearing tiny clothes that revealed nearly everything. The said waiter had on a tight t-shirt and a pair of extremely short spandex shorts. He was the only one who complained as Naruto had to clean the saliva hanging from his mouth.

He walked back to Naruto's table and took out his pad and pen.

"Good evening sir, can I start you off with something to drink?" His voice, again made the athletes skin tingle. He had to stop the nervous act. Naruto could tell by the bright smile on his face that this would be a tough one.

He gave a sly laugh. "Yeah, I'll just have some coke and rum", he said in a sultry voice sending chills down his spine.

The waiter laughed to himself a little, well aware of what was going on. "Okay, and would you like an appetizer?"

_Fuck yeah I would._

"Actually yeah, I'll have the browned calamari". He looked the red-head in his eyes. His face held a confident smirk. It was as if for a moment, Naruto was communicating to him in some sort of sexual language.

He scribbled a few things on his notepad. "I'll get that right out to you", he said in a sweet voice and disappeared done the isle. Naruto turned his head to watch him walk away; biting his lips at the way his ass swayed to the motion of his feet.

_Damn, that ass is gonna get me in trouble_

His buzzing phone awakened him from his dirty thoughts. His raging erection began to die off at the name on the screen.

_Sakura H._

He had to answer.

"Yo"

"_You're late"_

"For...?"

"_Your father wanted to meet with you before Sunday"_

"...OH! THAT! SHIT!"

"_Yeah"_

"Can you tell him I'm sorry and we'll meet tomorrow morning?"

_She sighed. "Fine, but this is ridiculous. Where the hell are you anyway?"_

The waiter walked back out with his drink and appetizer in one hand on a round black tray. He leaned over the table to place the items down giving Naruto a direct sight at his rear end. Forgetting his sports manager was on the phone, he let his naughty eyes wonder up and down his back.

"_NARUTO!"_

He nearly dropped his phone in his drink. He asked the waiter to wait for a few seconds until he could get off the phone. He nodded with a softer smile than before as he tried to use this time to figure out the obviously interested customer.

"Sakura, I just stopped to get something to eat"

"_Eat?...EAT! That's kind of why your father wanted to meet you at a RESTAURANT!"_

"Look, I'll call you later", he hurried to hang up before she started another long rant.

"Sorry about that"

"That's okay, you're good"

He got his pen and pad ready again.

"Before I order, can I just say", he looked the younger waiter from head to toe. "You're the finest thing I've ever seen"

The red-head simply chuckled softly. A pink tinge appeared on his cheeks. He still couldn't give in.

"What would you like?"

_You_

He skimmed through the menu for the second time. "I'll take the House Hamburger, the Steak, Done, a plate of sour crumbs, another plate of fries, the Grilled Salmon with the southern rice and two bowls of ramen", he said with a big grin on his face.

The waiter gulped heavily at the whopping order for just one person. "Heh, I see we have big eater"

"Yeah, you do"

"Well one of chef's is getting married so the steak might have to come out a few minutes behind everthing else but-"

"No no, I've got nothing but time", he said raising his brows at him.

The waiter had to control his urge to laugh as he slipped into the back of the restaurant again, He was almost convinced that tonight was going to end up being one of the most interesting nights in a while.

Sakura Haruno had been his sports manger ever since she graduated from college with here Bachelor's degree in athletic management. They'd been friends since middle school already and he didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

There was no one else his father could trust to act as the bridge between the all-star son and himself.

After a while the food came out and as the athlete devoured it viciously, the red-headed waiter periodically came by to refill his drink and ask if he needed anything. All the while Chloe behind the reception desk stared at his eyes following one of the restaurant's most prized employees.

Once all the plates, saucers and bowls on the table were empty, which wasn't very long, the waiter stopped by once more.

"All done?"

"Yeah, I don't wanna eat too much, you know, trying to stay lean", he said with a smirk making the waiter laugh.

"Can I get you any desserts?"

"No, but you can give me your number", he said with a sly smirk. The waiter turned and laughed a little to himself.

"You never give up do you?"

"Nope"

Smiling softly, he handed the leather book for the check to Naruto. He pulled out his wallet after wiping his mouth and pulled out a shiny blue card and put in the book letting the waiter take it away for a few minutes.

He brought back his credit card in the leather black book. "Well, you have a good evening sir", he said in a sweet manner, turning to leave.

"Hey" _Oh fuck what's his name?_

"Red"

The waiter turned back around.

"Did you just call me red?"

"You never told me your name"

"Gaara", with that he turned on his heal to leave.

On his way back to the back of the restaurant he turned around and gave Naruto a wink before disappearing behind the double doors.

_Gaara_

As the athlete drove down the street to his loft, the pictures he saved from vision of that peculiar waiter flooded his mind to the brim. He'd never met anyone like him, in looks or personality.

He pulled up to the parking garage for his loft and drove around to his parking spot.

He could still smell the candy green apple scent of his beautiful red hair. He just had to find a gorgeous waiter in a pub just 48 hours before on of the biggest games of the season.

His father had been talking to him, as well as his manager, about how important this was.

All he seemed to want after that day was to dive head first into his bed.

Once he reached the elevator to take him up to the 12th floor he jingled his keys next to the old man that dreaded him with a passion. Henry Weimer lived in the loft right under him and had to hear many women who thought themselves fortunate enough to make it up up there.

When Naruto first started playing professional football, sex wasn't something he had to work for anymore, especially because of his looks and money. And every woman that walked through his door and landed in his bed screaming Naruto's name could be heard directly below.

Needless to say the seemingly eternal elevator ride was a bit awkward.

When he reached the inside of his loft, he tossed his football bag on the floor and pressed the glowing red button on his answering machine as he prepared to listen to the crazy shit that polluted his mail box everyday.

'_First Voice Message'_

'_Hey, slacker! It's Sasuke. Pick up your fucking phone'_

Naruto laughed to himself as he stripped down to his underwear, about to get into the hot shower.

'_Next Voice Message'_

'_You know what? I am so sick of you and all these women. I don't care if I am just your sports manager, PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE!'_

He shuddered at Sakura's shrillness when she got angry; which wasn't too rare.

'_Next Voice Message'_

'_Hey Baby, It's me Charlotte'. _Naruto halted in his tracks at the soft voice on the machine. He was used to her texting him but he never thought she'd call him, no one hardly ever tried to reach him on his cell phone, as that was reserved mostly for his brief lovers, as many as there were.

'_I know I'm the last person you wanna talk to right now, but I just wanna hear voice again. I miss you. Please believe me, I'm so sorry for what I did. You know I never meant to hurt you, darling. Please call me back. I need you. Life just hasn't been the same without you. I mean, I can sleep, I can't eat a bite without thinking about you. I know you dont wanna hear this but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't at least try to cal you. I miss behind beside you baby. Please call me sometime'_

'_End of Voice Messages'_

_*Beep*_

He sighed heavily and hopped into the shower once again, just to feel the hot water cleaning his skin. He liked to think of the water washing away all the dirt that he accumulated from being in the public's eye.

And yet he still couldn't get that red-headed waiter named Gaara out of his mind.

After he got out of the shower he found the receipt from the restaurant crumpled up on the bathroom counter as he dried his hair with the large towel. He realized that he had been too wrapped up in the server of the food to pay much attention to the food itself.

The bill was only $178.54, unusual for him at any place that offered food.

He noticed a note written in cursive at the bottom of the tiny slip of paper.

_Maybe next time, papa ;)_

The note melted the ice that formed over his thoughts from that haunting voice message.

_Damn, what is he doing to me?_

* * *

><p>Across the city limits, a rough neighborhood<p>

The sun rose slowly over the set of apartments in one of the roughest neighborhoods on that side of town closest to the university.

There were a few men on the porch smoking cigarettes on the balcony in front of the apartment's doors. The establishment had been there for about ten years and the city refused to waste money on renovations.

When it rain the roofs acted as a pitiful shield a rain dropped through certain units like sand paper. During the hot summer months, the loud A/Cs provided a weak source for cool air.

There never was a time living in this small complex when the residents didn't have something to complain about or the land lord didn't have something to ignore while he took his 24 year old wife shopping in the city.

On top of the conditions of the apartment, the people weren't exactly saints either.

The majority of the residents were strippers, hookers, drug dealers, drug users, dancers, or grocery sackers. Most of them weren't ever home because of their jobs and this made this one of the most peaceful bad apartments ever.

Next to Gaara Sabaku's bed, a tiny Dachshund/Toy poodle mix scratched at his hand that hung off the side of his bed.

Today was one of two days he had off from work. He went to school 4 days a week and worked Monday through Friday. Needless to say by Saturday he was ready to fall out and die.

The tiny dog began to lick his hand vigorously.

"Leave me alone, Fred", he said groggily as he turned over in bed.

The dog simply pounced into the bed and began to lick the waiter on his face causing him to push the small canine on to the floor. After rolling on his back he stood up and simply began to whimper loudly.

"Ugh! Fine, I'll take you outside!"

In a pair of short gym shorts and a tank top that hung low enough to see a lot of skin, he attached Fred to his leash and opened the door. Waiting in front of her door was an old lady sitting in a rocking chair that had been stolen twice.

"Good morning Mrs. Patterson", he said politely as he walked pass her on the way down the stairs to the small lot of grass behind the apartments. She looked up from her photo album to waive back at him.

"Good Morning!" her face seemed to like up the block. "As cute as you are some nice man should be sweepin' you off your feet by now, huh?"

It never failed. Every morning she would ask him if some man has come to sweep him off his feet. And his answer was always, "No ma'am, not yet". It was a daily routine that surrounding people looked forward to as they looked forward to the singing birds on the roof tops.

As he stood in the grass while Fred relieved himself he wondered for the first time in a while, would someone come to sweep him off his feet one day? The question seemed to be so engrained in daily ritual that it didn't stand out anymore.

Throughout the course of his life, he became convinced that people were only swept off their feet in fairytales.

_Flashback_

_A woman of about 28 fell with a loud thud to the floor. Her aggressor stood above her with a nasty sneer on his face looking down at her. _

_This was the third time that week that they'd gotten in a fight._

_He reached back down and grabbed her by her deep brown hair. He looked her in her eyes._

"_You filthy slut"_

_He slapped her, receiving a loud scream. Her cheek stung after the harsh blow._

_He hit her again and again, each blow increasing in force._

_She fought him with all her strength but she just wasn't strong enough to break free from his painful grip. _

_It was a reoccurring theme for him to get like this when his paranoia of her cheating on him fueled this rage._

_She cried as loud as she could, but it seemed like nobody could hear her._

_His family tried getting help for him, but the beatings only got worse afterwards._

_She called the police. That didn't do much good after his ten years as a police officer himself._

_After the last blow her voice was too hoarse to yell. _

_She was forced to bear the pain in silence. Her face felt like it was on fire. _

_He yanked her to the floor and kicked her with his boot on his way out the door. He headed to the refrigerator._

_He drank excessively._

_She lay on the carpet next to their bed, broken, tired. She put a hand to her face. Blood came back to greet her._

_Struggling to get up from her position on the floor, she grabbed the side of the bed and looked behind her. _

_Her husband slammed the front door. A sense of relief came over her when she heard his truck speed off._

_A little boy of about 4 years old stood in the doorway to the bedroom with tears in his eyes._

"_Mommy", his tiny voice called out. "Are you okay?"_

_The woman wiped her face with a nearby cloth and reached out for her precious child. He scuttled over with a big stuffed bear in hand and ran into his mother's arms._

_He found himself engulfed by her arms._

_She rocked him slowly as they cried together._

"_We'll be fine"_

_He closed his eyes as his mother spoke._

"_Always"_

Gaara looked with all his might at the sun as he walked back up the stairs. When he opened the door he realized what time it was. The clock on his wall read 8:00 a.m. Class started in an hour.

He moved as fast as he could to get in and out of the shower, dressed and in enough time to stuff a bagel in his mouth.

He decided to be a little edgy that day and wore his favorite tiny pair of black shorts that came up to the base of his ass, and red t-shirt that read 'Schrei so laut du kannst' which was 'scream as loud as you can' in German.

He grabbed his bag from the corner, his keys from the glass bowl by the door and his phone from the charger next to the sofa.

"Be good, Freddy", he said as he blew a kiss to the pooch sitting content on the sofa on his back in front of his favorite game show. Gaara laughed to himself at his dog's antics as he locked the door behind him.

On his way to the bus stop, the blonde haired man who took an interest in him the night before began to dictate his thoughts.

His syntax was what struck him as the most odd. Never in his life had he been called 'fine'. Gaara had always thought of the word 'fine' as a term used as a synonym for 'satisfactory' or 'acceptable'.

If not so, then it was supposed to be directed at women. And not only 'fine' but 'the finest thing he'd ever seen'.

He'd been called many other things, in his life but never 'fine'. It was a compliment not to be brushed off but pondered upon. Something about that man made him feel like he hadn't felt in a while.

Only, he didn't have time to waste his time on feelings that lead to no where. Or so he thought.

The bus stop was empty and he took a seat on the bench under the big covering over it. His foot tapped at his own anxiousness. It was already 8:30 and the university was quite a few blocks away.

The direction of his attention changed when a black car, modified with giant sliver rims stopped in front of the curb at which he waited.

_When is this motherfucker gonna leave me alone?_

The window rolled down to reveal a Caucasian man in a black shirt under a large silver chain ending with a medallion covered in diamonds. He took off his glasses to look at Gaara who was trying his hardest to ignore him.

"Don't act like you don't see me baby", his voice was low but not as low as most men.

Gaara took a peak at the time on his phone. "Leave me alone, Paul". His voice was indifferent.

"Don't be like that babe", he said turning his blaring stereo down. "Get in; let me drive you to school".

"How about you drive into a ditch somewhere", he said sharply still not looking into the car. The older man laughed a little with his hand on the steering wheel, not letting these usual harsh words faze him.

"You still like playin hard to get"

"There isn't any thing for you to get"

"Come on baby, don't you remember?" He bit his lip at the student and got no such reaction.

"You mean the one time you asked me to suck your dick in the grocery store, I said no, you got mad and tried to hit me and security dragged you out?"

His sly smirk disappeared from his face.

"Then yes, I remember", he said with a sarcastic smile.

"You know what? You just a bitch", he said adjusting the gears to his car. "Fuckin' cum slut", he said speeding off, the sound of his tires screeching echoed off the walls of the raggedy buildings around them.

_Oh trust me; I'm not too interested in Chlamydia either, buddy. _

Finally the bus pulled up to the stop and he jumped on as if it were a chariot leading to heaven.

* * *

><p>A busy street downtown<p>

The streets were particularly busy that afternoon. It was already 2:30.

Many people from business occupations were eating lunch at expensive venues before they had to return to the drudgery that was their niche in the corporate world. There was only so much to complain about, though, when money was discussed.

A black town car pulled to a stop under a roof of an entrance to _Le Fait de Manger Sophistiqué_, a restaurant that was commonly attended by people who didn't exactly blend in with the normal crowd.

Celebrities, politicians in question etc, came here to eat and escape the viciousness of paparazzi.

Not only were there cameras watching every angle of the restaurant but there were men all around in black suits guarding nearly every entrance and every exit. In other words, if you didn't have a reservation you couldn't get in.

A black town car pulled around the corner under the large roof at the entrance of the establishment. The outside and inside were decorated with beautiful French architecture even for a restaurant that wasn't exactly big.

The car stopped momentarily and the door opened unleashing first Naruto Uzumaki and then a woman with hair a bright blond, to a certain extent it looked almost pink.

He wore an Armani suit and the shiny black shoes to match. His silver watch gleamed in the lights above them. She wore a Prada suit with the black pumps to match. To some they looked frightening.

"Be back here by 4:00, Martin", Sakura barked at the driver before they were greeted at the door by a tall doorman that politely held the door open for the two.

It was official that Minato Namikaze was a proud football dad, and he had been that way ever since Naruto asked him to throw the ball around with him at age 5.

He himself owned one of the most successful oil companies in the world. Needless to say he made a good living for his family. Money was something available during Naruto's childhood, which kept away many problems.

It was also official that Naruto and his athletic manager met with his father before a game or two throughout the entire season.

The man in a black vest at the front of the restaurant lit up with delight when he saw that his presence was graced with the presence of one of the most acclaimed athletes in the country.

"Welcome back Mr. Uzumaki, your father is waiting for you", he said as he led them to a table further in the back.

A few people in the place raised their glasses and waived at them on their way to their seat.

The older man of about 57 got up to greet his son and his manager.

"Well if it isn't 'the bullet' himself", he said grabbing his beloved son in a hug calling him the nickname that his fans dubbed him. He the kissed Sakura's hand like he always did when he met up with her.

She smiled down at him as much as she wanted to puke.

"Sit, sit", he said motioning to the two golden chairs across from him. Naruto sat down and immediately began looking through the menu even though he would end up getting the same thing; Salmon and blackened mushrooms.

"You won't believe who called me yesterday", Minato said hinting at something.

Naruto's expression grew grim at the statement. "Yeah I do, the same bitch that left me a long voice-mail yesterday. And to answer you next question, no, I'm not gonna call her".

Sakura hit him on his arm. "Don't talk about Charlotte like that".

"No no, Sakura", he said clearing his throat. "I completely understand if you're still mad, but I mean one of these days; give the girl a call, will ya?" He said as a statement more than a question.

"You mother and I just want you to find suitable woman".

"Can we please change the subject?"

"Fine", he said taking a sip of the wine the waitress had just placed in front of them.

An awkward silence drifted over the table of three as neither of them had much to talk about since the main subject at hand was already being swept under the rug for the remainder of lunch.

Sakura decided to speak up. "So, Minato, guess who just became an underwear endorser", she said as she gulped down an entire glass of wine.

Naruto hand his hand through his blonde hair. "Can we please not do this?"

"Oh we're doing it", she said laughing. "I didn't know you were so photogenic". Minato turned his head to see a beat red Naruto shooting a dirty glare at the laughing woman next to them.

"Oh really", Minato took another sip of his wine.

"Yeah and they didn't even have to stuff the crotch either", she said downing another glass in one gulp. "I guess he has you to thank for that Minato".

A sly smile graced the older man's face. He may have been close to 60 years old but he had the mind and body of a man half his age.

"Drunk ass", Naruto mumbled under his breath.

"Whatever", she said taking another gulp.

The dinner seemed to drag on that way until Sakura excused herself to go to the lady's room.

After the embarrassing lunch filled with Sakura's drunken laughter, Martin picked them up in the front of the restaurant. She was one of the biggest hard-asses one would ever meet until she got alcohol in her system, which wasn't always a bad thing.

Munching on a few crackers to sober herself up, she drank a bottle of water as the driver drove them back up to her office.

"Take your ass home and get some sleep". She pointed at him before she closed the door. "No women, parties, sex, NOTHING but rest, now go". She slammed the door and walked up the steps to the tall building.

As the driver drove him back to his loft, a certain red-head over powered his fear of his manager.

_Yeah, sure thing_

* * *

><p>A back room at Maude's<p>

The owner of Maude's, Angela, named the restaurant after her grandmother Maudina-Louise, an old woman with a passion for serving people.

As a little girl, Angela had admired the way her grandmother connected with people. Originally her and her mother worked along-side her grandmother when Maude's was called Gina's (named after Maudina-Louise's grandmother) and it was a sexy pub that catered to straight women during the feminist movement.

When Angela's mother got re-married to an investment banker, much to her mother's dismay, her and her husband moved back to Portugal to be closer to his side of the family. This all happened when Angela had just graduated from college.

Maudina-Louise gladly passed down the same building to her granddaughter on her death bed, giving the young girl the ambition to make it every bit as grand as her grandmother had made it.

As hate crimes against gay men grew in number she re-opened it to cater to gay and bi-sexual men of all financial backgrounds.

After being greatly inspired by the way her grandmother connected with the customers, she also grasped from her grandmother the idea of the way employees should be treated.

She treated all her employees like they were her sons and daughters. Gaara, in particular, was one of her favorites.

When he applied for the job she scrutinized the hell out of him because of her uncertainty of whether he was old enough. All her employees had to be a certain age and he looked barely legal.

After much begging that day, however, she got him to come in a work over time.

As he sat in the back room putting lotion on his tip-winning legs his phone buzzed on the dresser next to him. He threw the bottle of pomegranate scented moisturizer to one of the strippers across the room.

It was his mother. He fumbled with the touch screen with slippery hands.

"Hello"

"_Hey Gaarbie-chan"_

Gaara laughed a little. "Mama, I'm almost 20, I'm not your little Gaarbie-chan anymore"

"_And who the hell told you that", she said in a half stern voice. "You'll always be my little Gaarbie-chan"_

"Tell mom I said hi", one of the queens said next to him as he put his make-up on.

"James says hi"

"_Tell him I'm sending his birthday present in the mail"_

He mouthed 'I heard' before he went into behind the screen to change into his dress.

"_So how's life in the big city"_

"It's...busy", he said unsure of the words to describe Los Angeles. "I'm either at school or at work, and if I'm not there then I'm asleep"

"_Meet any cute guys yet?"_

Gaara rolled his eyes. "You asked me that a few days ago, and no, again".

"_I can't believe, as beautiful as you are, you haven't met not one none man yet"_

"Weren't you the one who told me to come down here and act like I had some home training?"

"_I didn't tell you to become a monk"_

"Well there was this one guy who asked for my number yesterday", Gaara thought about the tall semi-hulky man who took the time to flirt with him the day before.

"_Well, did you he call you?"_

"I never gave him my number"

"_WHAT?" she yelled. "Why not?"_

"I was nervous! Nobody ever called me 'fine' before"

"_Well in case you didnt know, that was a compliment", she said sarcastically._

"Mama"

"_Hmm?"_

"Why do you want me to meet somebody so badly?"

"_Because, you're on the other side of the country and I just feel safer knowing that somebody a little older looks out for you"_

"..."

"_It just aint fittin' for a boy your age to be in another state with nobody lookin after him"_

He sighed deeply looking at the clock. "Yeah, guess you're right".

"_Mmm-Hmm"_

"Well my break's over, I'll call you when I get home"

"_Alright baby, talk to you later"_

"Bye", he said wistfully as he pressed the red button on the screen ending the call. He put his phone in his bag under the vanity counter lit up with Broadway style light bulbs.

Tonight was their weekly 'Don't-Be-A-Drag-Just-Be-A-Queen' show.

The young student/waiter expected tonight to be another night of plastering on a smile for the men at that restaurant and inside ponder the things his mother told him. That was always something that fascinated him about his mother.

She could say the simplest things that would make you think about them forever.

However, when he opened the double doors into the restaurant he was greeted with the same gaze that graced him the night before. The same blue eyes that met with his green, met again.

_What the fuck? I didn't think he was gonna actually read that._

Feigning a confident smile he walked over to his first customer of the night. "Welcome back". He noticed his suit. "You're dressed up today"

"Well, I had lunch with my manager and my father today"

"Interesting"

"Not really"

Gaara chuckled. "Why not?"

"Well it all started to go downhill when my manger got a hold of the wine, and then came the penis jokes. It was just awful".

Gaara laughed a little harder. "So you're back".

"Well, I didn't exactly leave satisfied last time", he said with a smirk.

_Oh, two can play at that game. _"Oh, really?"

"Yeah"

"Well what can I do to make you experience more...satisfying?" Gaara's smile was like a naked body under a transparent garment. He got his pen and pad ready as he did with his mind.

"You can give me your number"

Gaara laughed. "I think I remember your order from last night", he said scribbling something on his note pad while maintaining eye contact with the smirking athlete looking up at him.

"I'll be right out", he said softly and slinked into the back room. He could feel Naruto's warm gaze devouring him completely from behind.

He looked around the restaurant as he waited for his food, until he caught sight of a woman sitting close to the stage talking to one of the queens rehearsing for the show. She stopped her conversation to look at him.

_Is that...no it couldn't be._

He brushed the familiarity off in his mind and his thoughts went back to the sport being played off the field with the same waiter that intrigued him so the night before.

Even as he continued to drink the free water before him coke and rum came out, those eyes turned away from their conversation every now and then to gaze across the room at the subject in question.

After about ten or fifteen minutes the young waiter came out with a tray on both of his arms while balancing one on his head. Naruto's jaw hit the floor once again. _Oh, shit._

Gaara pulled out a collapsible stand and placed the food on it then on the table, tray by tray.

"Well I hope you enjoy the food, again, and just call me if you need anything", he said politely. Suddenly Angela called him over to the band's area for a moment.

He scuttled over to her before she got impatient. "Yes?"

She looked down at her clipboard. "Gaara, what was that?"

"What was what?"

She looked at him as would a mother at a naughty child. "You know what. The giggling and laughing and the playfulness etc."

"I thought I was supposed to do that!"

"Yeah with all the other customers as well"

"I thought that was what I was doing". He pointed back at him. "And he was flirting with me!"

"Don't get snippy with me!" She popped him on his head with her pen receiving a yelp from the red-head. "Can you please get the band something to drink?"

"Yes ma'am".

He disappeared with an embarrassing blush on his cheeks to the back of the establishment to follow the request given by his seemingly second mother. He suddenly became aware of how his attitude toward the peculiar man had changed in the last few hours.

About a half hour later after he returned with a shiny silver tray of beer for the musicians that were to plat behind the queens' act, Naruto was finished with his food and ready for the bill, again.

Gaara walked up to the booth and held out the leather book with the check inside.

"Would you like to look at our dessert menu?"

"I think you know the answer to that one".

Gaara smiled. "I'll be right back", he said as he sashayed away with the blue card and ran it through the computer. Naruto's foot tapped anxiously as he waited for that slip of paper to com back.

Then, he returned with that same book. The same book that held the results to how well he played.

"You have a good evening", Gaara said leaving the book at the booth. He walked to the back trying his hardest not to let his excitement show.

Naruto waited until he was gone and took out a wad of 20s amounting to about $400 and left it in the bind of the little black book. Making sure nobody saw how much he left for the waiter, he made his exit after receiving an waive and 'come back sometime' from Angela.

A few minutes passed and Gaara peeked from behind the double doors to see that Naruto had left already. He came up to table to see if he'd taken the receipt and found a giant wad of money amounting to $400.

He nearly dropped it.

_I must have done something right I guess._

Little did he know; that was the understatement of the century.

* * *

><p>About 10:45 an apartment complex<p>

The night air was warm on Gaara's bare legs as he struggled to unlock the stubborn lock on his door.

Once opened, Fred jumped of the sofa like a mad dog and started to scratch at his owner's legs. He quickly threw his bags down and took the dog outside to relieve himself.

The mixed breed dog squatted for about five minutes. "Hurry up and take a shit Fred, there're flies out here!"

When the dog finished his business he had to work his short legs extra hard to keep up with his anxious owner who was running up the stairs as if somebody as if someone were chasing him.

He scrambled into the house only to remember that he forgot to turn on the lights. He turned to flip the pillar lamp on in the corner but his foot got caught in the cord sending him tumbling to the floor.

Turning the light on and pulling himself together he placed his hand on his now sore buttocks. The old lady downstairs got her broom and beat the ceiling with it, shouting curses up at him in Spanish.

"Sorry", he said down at her.

He pulled the leash off of the canine and he waddled tiredly to his water bowl.

Gaara leaped into the cramped bathroom and got into the shower as fast as he could, got out, dried his hair, slipped into his tiny white t shirt and tiny night shorts just in time.

His phone buzzed on the counter.

He stared at its lit up form and the n looked at the confused dog below him. "Should I answer it Fred?" The pooch stared up at him and cocked his head to the side.

"You don't know either, huh?"

He grabbed the buzzing device and sat down on the sofa/bed and answered it.

"Hello"

"_Hey"_

"Hi"

"_You know, when I found your number on the receipt I felt like I'd won the lottery"_

Gaara laughed. "Sorry about that".

"_You don't have to apologize. It was kind of fun"_

"You should hear my mother. She says I should be more free-handed with my number"

"_Mama knows best"_

"Yeah, right. Last week she asked me how many guys have I given oral sex to since I've been in LA"

_Naruto laughed. "You're not from here?"_

"No, actually I'm from Bienville, Louisiana, and then my mother moved to Atlanta when I moved here about a year ago to go to college".

"_That must be tough on your mother. Her son being on the other side of the country and all"_

"She keeps telling me how she wants me to find someone a little older than me who knows 'the city' to look after me"

"_That's understandable"_

"I'll be 20 in January and she still treats me like I'm 15"

_Naruto snickered._

"What's so funny?"

"_You still kinda are close to your teenage years"_

"Oh really, and exactly how old are _you"_

"_I'll be 27 in October"_

"Yikes"

"_I know, I'm an old geezer", he said jokingly_

"But still is it so wrong to want to be treated like an adult. I have a job, go to school, pay bills for my own apartment; it may be a shit-hole but its mine"

"_Speaking of shit, why'd that fat lady hit you with her pen?"_

"That fat lady's name is Angela and she hit me because she thought I was flirting with you and not the othe customers"

"_I could've sworn that I was the one doing the flirting"_

"That's what I said!"

"_I mean I had to come back a second day just to get your number. I call that playing hard to get"_

"Again, sorry"

"_No trust me, its... refreshing to actually have to try again"_

"Refreshing? Interesting choice of words"

"_In my line of work, women and some men aren't exactly subtle. I mean, nothing turns me on like a good chase"_

"I just don't feel right throwing myself on anybody that I've just met"

"_That's another thing; you haven't asked me once what I do for a living"_

"That's probably because I don't even know your name"

"_Uzumaki, Naruto Uzumaki"_

"I just lied; I did know your name I just wanted to hear you say it"

_"How did you know my name?"_

"I ran your credit card up, twice. I thought I'd be a little nosy for a change"

_The athlete smiled. "You're pretty rare, Gaara"_

"I am?"

"_I've never met anybody like you, to be honest. I've never seen anybody who looked like you"_

"My mom always used to say I had a unique face", he said putting a hand over the kanji on his forehead.

"Just for laughs, what exactly do you do for a living? I mean, it would suck if you were a drug dealer or something"

_Naruto laughed._"_Well 'just for laughs'. I play for the Raiders. I hope that clears up the whole drug dealer confusion"_

"Well that would explain the $400", he said. "By the way, thanks"

"_It was just a little pocket change I had on me"_

"Pocket change? Dude, you just paid my rent"

_Naruto gave a hearty laugh. "You're welcome"_

"What position do you play?"

"_Quarterback"_

"Oh, so _that's_ why you didn't tell me what you do"

"_Yep"_

"Well you gotta weed out the gold-diggers somehow"

_The QB chuckled. "I hope you didn't think I was flirting with you just for sex"_

Gaara felt a tinge of guilt. "Well, what else can I expect waiting tables half naked"

"_I wasn't kidding when I said you were the finest thing I've ever seen"_

His face reddened madly in the comfort of his own home. "Thank you"

"_Don't get me wrong, sex...heh...sounds pretty good right now but I'm gonna do this the right way"_

"What do you mean?"

"_Ever since I've made it into the NFL it's all been about getting what I want, when I want it"_

"..."

"_I know you just met me but, I wanna get to know you"_

"..."

"_I knew there was something about you when I first saw you; it drove me mad all night"_

"..."

"_So how about you come to the game tomorrow night. I can put you up in the box"_

Gaara suddenly found his voice. "Oh... um... I-I'll have to see if I'm free tomorrow"

"_Well if you can just text me your address and I'll have the ticket delivered"_

Gaara took the phone from his ear and looked at it incredulously. "Did you just say 'delivered'?"

"_Uh... yeah"_

"Ok just making sure", he looked as if he'd swallowed a frog. "Hold for one moment please", he asked as he brought the pillow up to his face and screamed as loud as he could.

"Ok um I think I'll be able to make it"

"_Great!"_

"But wait, are you sure about the 'box'?"

"_What do you mean?"_

"Well, not only have I never been able to afford to LOOK at a box, let alone sit in one, but I don't think I have any 'box seat' type clothes", he said matter-of-factly holding up a pair of shorts

"_Oh, don't worry about that. Just wear what you normally wear"_

"Positive?"

"_Yeah, I could use a little motivation", he said before a sultry laugh._

"Heh oh _you_", he laughed nervously

"Well, I better let you go. You know, big game for you tomorrow. Don't wanna steal any sleep from ya"

_He chuckled at his nervousness. "Goodnight, Gaara"_

"Goodnight, Naruto"

When he hung up the phone he pulled his beloved pet into his arms. He hugged closer than he had time to in a while. His warm hair caressed his face. About a million doubts, hopes, wishes and fears rushed through his mind at once.

He jumped up at the thought of something he'd forgotten.

He pressed a few areas on the touch screen on his phone and put it up to his ear. _Please still be awake._

"_Hello?"_

"Mama?"

"_Baby what's wrong"_

"Well..." he struggled to find the words.

"_Well What? What's wrong?"_

"I gave him my number and tomorrow I'll be sitting in a box seat a Raiders game"

"_..."_

"..."

_"EEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"_

"It's funny. I had the same reaction"

* * *

><p>A massive football stadium full of cheering fans around 5:00<p>

The stadium was filled to capacity with screaming fans, grotesque men without shirts painted gray and black, little boys dreaming to be on that turf, gold diggers wishing to be on the players.

The sports announcers were giving their commentaries on how they expected the game to pan out.

There were large vehicles going around the turf below the fans making sure it was nice trimmed and green. The concession stands were followed by people grabbing beers by the hand full and fries, corndogs, nachos etc fly out of conventional ovens.

The way the entire stadium prepared for that game made the players and all apart of the game (on and off the field) feel apart of something grater the n themselves. It was almost uplifting.

The players huddled around the coach in the locker room as he spoke words of encouragement to them before they went out to the field.

The fans were nearly pulling their hair out. The big tubes surrounding their exit exploded with smoke as they ran out onto the field, making the crowd go bananas.

Naruto was at the front of the pack and peered up to the box to see if his prized companion had made it or not.

He had no time just yet.

Up in the box Minato walked into the large glass room with a beautiful woman with an ashy red hair and dark green eyes. Kushina Uzumaki had attended every game since his little league days.

Every grabbed whatever type of finger food or wine they wanted and took their seat in the comfy suede theatre chairs.

When the first ball was kicked, signifying the start of the event, the men and a few women started cheering and shouting commands at the players as if they were only two feet away.

Just when everything seemed to be in place, a 'glitch' in the wave of setting arrived in a pair of skin tight black jeans that were ripped in all the right places, showing off remnants of his legs, the tears wear covered with fish net for the inside.

He wore a tight t-shirt that hugged his slim torso but his jeans traced his thick lower body.

A few women went as far as to gasp when he showed up. The tall and bulky guard stopped him roughly with his strong hand, unusual force used for a guest not causing any trouble.

"Ticket please?"

Gaara took the piece of paper and shoved it in the rude man's almost hitting his nose. "See?" The man let him pass and Gaara rolled his eyes.

_What the hell is wrong with him?_

Kushina tapped her husband on his shoulder and he turned around to give Gaara one of the foulest stares he'd ever gotten from anyone.

Gaara sat on the opposite side of the room and could hear the whispers about him under the chatter concerning the game.

"Who let a call-boy in here?"

"I don't know"

"Can't they kick him out?"

"I know, can't they?"

"No, as long as he has ticket he can stay"

"Who in their right mind gave it to him?"

"I'll bet he stole it"

"Sounds about right"

The rest of the first and second quarter went on like that, which made Gaara feel like silly putty in his seat. It felt like their words were a heat lamp and he were a sculpture made of ice.

Part of him wanted to leave and just forget about Naruto altogether. And part of him wanted to stay under the protection of Naruto's words to him the night before on the phone

"_I knew there was the something about you when I first saw you"_

Those words still rang in his head and still made his stomach swell with butterflies.

He held on to those words like precious jewels. No one could steal them from him.

During halftime when the players were about to exit the field Naruto spotted a figure with red hair far up in the box and waived with all his might at him, jumping up and down like a wild man.

Gaara saw him down below and waived down at him.

"Oh look honey he's waiving", said Kushina waiving back at him.

Minato looked over and his eyes nearly fell out of his head when he saw the young boy in the corner waiving down at his son. It was as if a wave of rage overcame him with a newfound ferocity.

"Who _is _that?"

Kushina looked at the red-headed youth still waiving at Naruto down below. "Beats me. I've never seen him before"

* * *

><p>A press conference after the game<p>

Hundreds of cameras flashed at Naruto Uzumaki sitting next to Jiraiya Gama Sennin, his coach.

"Mr. Uzumaki you've been accepted as one of the greatest athletes in the world, do you think that this is a valid statement?

"Football is what I live, breath, wake up to every morning. That and all my fans are what are important"

"Mr. Uzumaki, what is you outlook for the success of the team this season?"

"I think we'll have a lot more control as far as where we want to be around the end of the season"

"Mr. Gama Sennin, is it true that you plan on selling the Raiders at the end of the season?"

"Mr. Uzumaki, since you've cancelled your engagement to Charlotte Manassey, is there another person in her place?"

Naruto chuckled a little. "Actually yes, there is but I'm keeping them under wraps for the time being"

Gaara stood behind all the reporters.

As he looked out at the sky above him all the butterflies that settled in his stomach began to awaken and catch wind. Was this real? Was he dreaming? Would he soon wake up back in Bienville with no connection to the life he currently lived?

It all seemed so unreal.

In a little over a years time he'd come from a small town that nearly no one had heard about to one of the most famous cities in the world, gotten hired at a historic pub passed down from generation to generation, and caught the attention of one of the most acclaimed athletes in the world.

* * *

><p>Somewhere in the inner city lofts, on the 7th floor, a woman sat on her sofa before a television, watching the same press conference.<p>

She and Naruto were the only ones who knew who this mysterious lover was.

_Wherever you are, I'm gonna find you bitch._

_And I'm gonna make you wish you never left Bienville, Louisiana _

* * *

><p><em>Hope you guys liked it <em>

_Please review ~ _


	2. rain

Songs in this chapter (which I do _**not**_ own) - "The Sweetest Thing", by Lauryn Hill, "Like Bandy Bandy", by Zap Mama and Erykah Badu, "Wake Up Alone", by Amy Winehouse, "Paparazzi", by Lady Gaga

Welcome back, those who didn't find that last chapter vomit inducing. I watched Mother Monster on GaGaVison yesterday, and she made an interesting point about how her song writing process consisted of 15 minutes of mentally vomiting a bunch of chord patterns and general lyric subjects. And she said how we should all "honor our vomit"; which is true because for everyone who has to create something, most of the best inspiration comes from the things that you ingest from living day to day. Your "vomit" is the things you hold in and when it comes out in word form or song form it can become something beautiful. Food for thought. Anyway, today I was on my review page I and I saw that for JUST chapter one, I have 11 reviews. You guys made me cry in my tea. I love you all so much for your sweet, encouraging, empowering, loving reviews. I feel so appreciated and most of all I feel like I'm doing what I've wanted to do for so long. This fic is the only public evidence of my breaking point; my revolution. And to see that you care enough to show me that you've witnessed it means more than anything to me. On with the show!

* * *

><p>A room outside the shower room after the press conference around 9:30<p>

_**The sweetest thing I've ever known...**_

After the reporters were cleared away at the hands of security, all of the players headed to the locker rooms and showered. Even after playing a tiring sport like football after so many hours, it was still party-time afterwards.

The questions asked at the conference went on as usual for the remainder of the time.

_**Was like the kiss on a collar bone...**_

Naruto was more than used to personal questions asked by reporters and after being vigorously trained by Sakura, the lens of the camera and the microphone of the recorder didn't faze him like it did when he was a rookie.

Minato and Kushina met with their all-star son before the press conference and exchanged a few words with him. They didn't stay too long on account of Minato claiming to be suffering from a severe headache.

Kushina knew he was lying. They'd been married for nearly 30 years and her husband got headaches like California got tornadoes. Never.

She knew better than anybody about her husband's severe case of homophobia. He hated all Lesbians, Bisexuals, Gays, and Transgender. She had noticed this unhealthy dislike back when they traveled to the Swiss Alps for the first of many destinations for their 4 month honeymoon.

_Flashback_

_The door laced in gold lined molding opened to reveal two eager faced people. _

_Just a few hours ago they were pronounced man and wife. Nothing seemed to be able to break the sunshine and smile on their faces._

_They walked in the door empty handed waiting for the bellhop to arrive on their door with their suitcases. _

_The woman, a gorgeous woman with ash red hair and eyes of captivating green, walked in next to her husband; a tall man with bright blonde hair and icy blue eyes._

_She was his pride, joy, heart and everything he ever dreamed of._

_He was the man who crossed social barriers to rescue her from the life she lived and wished to forget. He was her everything._

_They both wore big fur-lined clothes as the snow outside wasn't biting but still cold nonetheless._

_Kushina looked out the large window out at the snowy mountains overlapping each other in the distance. _

"_It's beautiful isn't it?"_

_Minato came up behind her and wrapped a strong arm around her and took a seat next to her on the velvet cushion next to the window. He kissed her neck softly making her eyes close; drifting into the warmth of his arms._

"_You're beautiful"_

_There was a knock at the door._

_Minato grumbled curses under his breath making his wife giggle. _

_He wouldn't be happy to see the intruder even if he were the Prince of the Isles._

_He looked through the peep hole and saw a man with a blue hat on._

_He unlocked the different locks roughly making a loud clacking sound._

_When he opened the door the bellhop had a large and friendly smile of his face. He had dark brown hair and his features were exceptionally feminine._

"_What", was Minato's gruff answer to the employee's warm appearance._

"_Your luggage, Mr. Uzumaki", his voice was very high for a man and he spoke with a strong lisp. Minato's face twisted into a sour scowl._

_He looked the man up and down before letting him come in. "Over there"; he said aloofly pointing to the corner at the edge of the massive suit._

"_Yes, sir"_

_Kushina felt the suit tighten with tension. _

_Minato stared at the oblivious man, doing his job, with a look she'd never seen him give anyone before. She knew within her woman's intuition that the young man was walking on eggshells. _

_He bent over to put the luggage down and went back to the cart outside to get the rest of the bags. _

_The last bag was especially heavy. It was Kushina's jewelry and accessories. _

_His foot caught the corner of a wall and he nearly lost his balance. Although he didn't fall or drop the massive bag, he managed to brush up against Minato's midsection._

_Kushina leaped from her velvet seat of passivity. _

_As soon as the man put the heavy bag down with the others and turned around to speak, he was greeted with a hairy fist to the nose, again and again and again._

_He lost all control of his emotions as he beat the helpless man to the floor and mercilessly slammed his fists into his already bloody face._

_He saw nothing but red as he felt a weak but struggling force yanking at his arm only to see his precious wife tugging with all her might at his arms. His hearing returned and he could hear her screaming for him to stop as well as the man underneath him gasping and spitting out blood._

_Tears were streaming down her angry face. _

_The man left to the hospital with a nearly shattered nose and a lost tooth. He lost nearly 3 pints of blood_

_The resort agreed not to press charges for assault if he paid for the bellhop's medical bills and for the section of the expensive Grecian carpet to be replaced that was before covered in blood. _

_As they got in their town car to be escorted to the airport, Minato held the door open for Kushina. _

_She stared at him with every ounce of spite she had in her body. She slapped him with all her might. He simply turned his cheek and got into the driver's seat. _

_He wanted of curse her out in front of the angry hotel staff, but decided against it in fear of losing his wife._

_There was nothing left for him to do but ride to the airport with a red and stinging left cheek._

Needless to say, the honeymoon was postponed at the very least.

And after seeing that the boy obviously knew their son didn't help matters much. Minato left because he was offended, appalled, disgusted, disrespected by the presence of such a person daring to even look at his flesh and blood.

Naruto became aware of his father's extreme homophobia at an early age.

The unsavory person in question stood in the room outside the other end of the shower room, waiting. He sat quietly thinking on the sofa about the people up in the box and the things they said.

In a way, it angered him.

How dare they. They didn't know him or anything about him. In fact, none of them even knew his name to couple with their crass and insidious insults. That was one thing he'd never get used to when it came to rich people.

It just wasn't fair.

He was woken up from his frustrated thoughts when Naruto walked through the door into the room. When he saw the youth out of his usual work attire his face lit up. He walked over and stood in front of him.

"You made it"

Gaara looked away sheepishly. "Well, I was about to say no then my mom threatened to kill me..."

Naruto laughed. "Like I said, mama knows best".

"Hm. Don't I know it". Gaara got up from the sofa and was about to head for the exit of the lounge. "You should've heard her on the phone, 'Have you lost your natural Alabama mind?'".

The QB's smile dropped a little. "Wait. Where are you going?"

The red-head chuckled. "To the bus stop so I can go home".

"No you're not"

"Uh, yeah", he said looking up at him strangely. "I am"

"Gaara, you're not going home", Naruto said smugly folding his arms across his broad chest.

"And why the hell not? 'Cause I swear to God, I don't care how big you are, I'll-"

"Whoa whoa. I'm not that kind of guy I promise", he said putting his hands up at the younger man's rising alarm. He pulled his keys out of his FB bag and slipped his wallet in his back pocket.

"Well you still haven't answered the question as to why I'm not going home", Gaara said still trembling a little.

"There's this Japanese place I wanna take you", he offered. "That's if you wanna go".

Gaara sighed. "I don't know". He silently pondered whether or not to lie and say he had to work the next morning.

Naruto stepped a little closer, taking Gaara by surprise. "Come on. Look, we go, eat, talk, I take you home, end of the night".

"What about your other meat-head friends?" He tried his best to get him to change his mind and not want to take him. It was as if he wanted to sabotage this foreign dream so that he could find reality again.

"You mean my teammates? Yeah, they're gonna be laid up under a horde of strippers in a few more hours", he said matter-of-factly. "Not really in the mood for ass and dollar bills tonight".

Gaara's frown broke when he giggled behind his hand.

"Please? It'll be like a victory present for me", he said rubbing his abs. "Besides, I'm starving".

"You're always starving".

"Exactly, so you'll go, right?"

He looked up at his smile. He felt himself melting under that smile lately. Guilt started to sink in. _He did risk a lot letting me up there. He wouldn't have done it if he didn't..._

He sighed again, trapped. "Fine".

"Great!" He put his hand behind Gaara's back as he led him to the door leading out to the parking garage. They walked to the car in dead silence giving Naruto a false sense of what dinner would be like.

When they reached the car and Gaara was about to open the door, Naruto stopped him. "Allow me".

He pressed a button on the console attached to the keys and the door lifter up over Gaara's head instead of out and in like normal car which was what Gaara was used to seeing until that evening.

Naruto grinned. "Butterfly doors. Gotta love 'em".

Gaara was just about numb to surprises when his got in to the shiny black Lamborghini. Naruto got in the car after him and put the keys into the ignition. The car started silently. He could barely hear the car's activeness.

"Don't tell me. The the seatbelt fastens itself", Gaara inferred sarcastically making Naruto chuckle.

"Sorry, you'll have to do that the old fashion way"

"And why did you have to open the door for me"

"I can't be a gentleman?"

"Sure you could, if I were a pretty little Lady named Sondra"

"You're very sarcastic, aren't you?"

"Oh really? I didn't notice".

Naruto simply laughed it off as they drove out of the parking garage. The ride was silent and Naruto could help but notice Gaara's wistful gaze out the window. It was as if he saw an extra terrestrial spectacle out the window and could tear his sea-foam-green eyes away.

After driving for what seemed like an eternity they reached the restaurant.

It was a mid-sized place whose outside was lit with a dim red light. There was a valet booth out in front of the entrance. Quite a few people were there but judging by the grade of cars being parked, it was expensive.

Gaara felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach as he laid eyes on the rich and wealthy business walking into the establishment. There was a small voice inside of him that secretly whispered to him that he didn't belong. That he was asking for trouble walking in there with Naruto.

Again, Naruto got out first and opened the door for his 'date'. He was about to grasp Gaara's hand as he got out and the red-head looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"Um, I don't think so, buddy", Gaara snipped, smiling sarcastically.

"Fine, suit yourself", he said as the valet took his keys and drove off the park the vehicle.

When they reached the front desk the assistant manager recognized Naruto immediately and greeted him with a warm smile. Gaara looked over to see Naruto's picture with the head owner on the wall along with other athletes, singers, actors etc.

_Holy shit! Beyonce was here!_

"Mr. Uzumaki, welcome back!" He was an elderly man with a thick Japanese accent. Gaara trembled mentally. Old people weren't usually fond of him and the feeling was often mutual.

He was a big football fan. "Congratulations on your victory"

"Thank you, sir", he said as they bowed to each other respectfully.

He looked over to the QB's right to see the nervous younger man in a t-shirt short enough to where his tiny waist was visible and black jeans ripped along the front of his leg exposing plenty of flesh.

"And who is this?" He said with a little more distaste than Gaara cared for. He was slightly hiding behind the larger man in a pitiful hope of not being seen.

"This is Gaara", he said trying to think of a title to give him. "He's a friend of mine".

The old man looked him up and down with a more than slight condescendence. "I knew of a boy much like you before"

"Oh, really?" Gaara's nervous frown began to lighten up a little.

"Yes, much like you he was a disgraceful whore!"

People in the restaurant turned around and stared at the group of people in the front.

Gaara gasped offended and Naruto's face whitened as a younger woman of about 40, the owner, appeared and snapped something to him angrily in Japanese. She pointed to the back office and he gave Gaara one more nasty look and then disappeared into the back grumbling something to himself.

"Please, forgive my father", she said in a sweet voice.

"No, its okay", Gaara lied. "He isn't the first one to say that". He laughed falsely trying his hardest not to let his anger and embarrassment show. _Somebody needs to take his old ass back to the nursing home before he shits in his diaper, _he thought as his face tingled with anger and shame.

"Follow me please", she said leading them to a table.

A short applause rang out as the people dining realized that a winning quarterback was in their presence. Gaara just wanted to blend into the back ground and not exist for a few hours as he saw Naruto saying a few thank you's on the way to his seat.

Their applause stopped like a domino effect when they saw who he was with and their disapproval was obvious by the looks on the faces. The younger boy's skin tingled at the radiating heat of the scolding stares directed at him.

He suddenly became aware of what he was wearing. Sensation was amplified around every spot on his clothes that exposed a section of his flesh. He was beginning to feel naked under their eyes.

The woman told then that a waiter would be with them soon.

Gaara sat down and looked away dejectedly. Naruto at the moment wanted to just pummel everyone in the whole damn restaurant for being such adherers to the stupid social order that he was born at the top of.

Across the way from them was a table of about five or six women. They immediately caught attention to who was sitting next to them. They began giggling uncontrollably. One of them pointed a secret finger at Gaara while he wasn't looking.

Naruto didn't notice at first because their laughter was hidden by the surrounding noise of the restaurant. He turned to waive and they all waived back sweetly

The group looked over at Gaara and that unleashed another wave of laughter. _Maybe if I just lie and say I'm about to puke, he'll take me home,_ Gaara thought solemnly but didn't have enough time to execute his fib.

"I'm sorry, Gaara. I didn't mean for Mr. Roshomito or these people to act like that".

He pushed away his sorrow quickly. He couldn't feel sorry for himself. He just couldn't. He picked up the menu and began looking for some food to take his mind off of the previous events and the table of women who now were deciding who should go over and ask for an autograph.

"You don't have to apologize. I've been called worse"

"You have?"

"Oh yeah, this one old guy in the grocery store told me that I was an abomination and a harlot and that I should be stoned to death", Gaara said as he decided to lighten up his own mood with the late humor of his own sorrow.

Naruto looked at him dumbfounded. "You say that like he gave you a compliment".

"It was actually pretty funny the way he was shaking his cane at me", he said chuckling. "Me and old people, I'm not really their cup of tea"

Naruto's frown didn't go away. "Still..." he said looking at the old man glaring at Gaara from across the room. "I've never seen him act like that".

"You've never walked in here with me either", he pointed out.

His reassurance was in vain when he saw Naruto shooting furious glares at the people who tried to look disapprovingly upon Gaara while they thought he wasn't paying any attention.

"Oh come on. Naruto, I'm a big boy. I can handle a few insults", he said putting the menu down. "Don't get your panties in a bunch".

Naruto laughed a little as the waiter came and took their orders. Their conversation continued when the short woman disappeared into the back to retrieve their food.

"You know, I'm grateful and all for the box seats but I could've done with out this mean old guy and his friends", Gaara said chomping on a crème cheese puff.

"Two mean old men in one day?"

"Yeah, he accused me of stealing the ticket and tried to get the big buff security dude to make me leave", Gaara said with a slight scowl at the recollection of that dreadful amount of hours of the football game's duration.

Before Naruto could say anything a thought and realization hit him. "Oh, shit"

"What?"

"That old man was _my _old man"

"What are you talking about?" He asked with another crème cheese puff in his hand.

"I'm saying, that was my father, Minato".

"And that pretty lady next to him who asked me where I got my jeans from was you mother I'm guessing?"

"Yeah, that's mom. She wants to dress how the 'youngsters' dress all of the sudden"

"Well, no offense but your dad's a jackass", he said with slight vehement as he took a sip of the glass of water in front of him. Naruto looked at him with a puzzled facial expression.

"What, now?"

"Water? Really?"

"I guess you weren't listening when I told you that I was only 19", he said raising a brow. Naruto was immediately reminded of the age difference between the two of them.

"I forgot, you're still a kid", he said teasingly.

"Well if I'm a kid, I don't think you should be staring at my ass like you do, pedophile", he retorted smirking.

Their food arrived. Naruto grabbed the four bowls of ramen off the tray before the waitress could even think about touching it making Gaara laugh. The QB noticed how when he laughed he hid his mouth behind a cupped hand.

His laughter was soft yet full and sonorous. It soon became music to the athlete's ears.

Before the red-head could blink, the fourth bowl of ramen was being slurped down with a fear inducing ferocity.

"Naruto"

"Hmm?" He had a cluster of noodles hanging from his mouth

"The food isn't going anywhere"

"Oh, sorry", he said slowly slurping the last bit up. Gaara laughed again.

"You know, you're the exact opposite of what I thought a football player acted like"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean all through middle and high school I was bullied by football players because I was the only boy in color guard", he bean to look down at his own empty plate.

"Color guard?"

"You know, the flags, rifles, ballet-like choreography next to the marching band", he said. "And I was pretty damn good too", he pointed out with his spoon.

"I guess I just always assumed the professional ones were just as bad", Gaara confessed guiltily.

"I have to admit, I was a bit of a bully in high school, but as I got older it all sort of hit me what I was doing to people". Naruto said dropping his head a little after his own confession.

The silence from the car had found its way to their table for a brief moment. "So what are your parents like?"

"Well my mom is a MILF but she can be as wise as a woman twice her age. But I love her to pieces. I call her just about everyday"

"So she'll be hearing about me?"

"Already has, buddy", he said smiling.

"What about your father?"

Gaara's face went blank. He wished with all his might that he hadn't asked that question. "He...died when I was about 5 or 6", he said looking down at his plate again catching Naruto's attention.

"I'm sorry, Gaara, I didn't mean-"

"No no it's ok. I'm sort of past it now but I don't think I'll ever be over it though"

"Who would?"

"Anyway, you won't believe what my 'wise' mother told me when I told her a football player invited me to a game", said the younger boy lifting a brow.

"More good advice I'm sure"

"She told me to show up to the game in a pair of short shorts, a thong and a t-shirt that almost showed my entire waist!"

"Damn"

"I know!"

"No, I mean damn that would be fucking sexy", he said smirking. "I mean, a big round ass just right there for me to take"

"Watch it!"

"I'm just kidding", he said laughing it off as he wiped the broth from the hair on his chin. "But not about the sexy part", he said lifting his brows coquettishly.

"Thanks", he said sarcastically.

Across the room a flash, from a camera, nearly blinded Gaara. "What the hell?"

"Ah it's just the paparazzi, they'll go away", he said taking a sip of his Sake. "Kind of like really annoying little kids".

"Aren't you afraid of being caught?"

"Caught doing what?"

"Caught with _me, _stupid"

"You've gotta give your self more credit Gaara. You're really not that bad looking", he said laughing bowlingly.

"You know what I mean asshole", Gaara snapped taking a swig of the second glass of water the waitress just put down. "I'm not exactly what they call 'good attention'"

"I don't care", he said downing the last bit of Sake he had left. "I'm a grown-ass man. I can take whoever I want wherever I want", he said proudly. His deep voice sent chills down Gaara's spine.

"I guess so"

One of the girls had eventually came and asked for an autograph. She was so excited that she could barely make simple sentences. Gaara pretended not to pay attention as Naruto chuckled softly at her nervousness.

Luckily when she retuned to her table, the waiter returned with the check.

The rest of he night at he restaurant, in the car on the way back to Gaara's apartment complex went on with Naruto's perverted advances and Gaara's shooting them down with his arrows of feistiness.

They pulled up to his complex and Naruto's heart sank a little. "This is where you live?" He frowned at the sad and sagging building that greeted him.

"Yep. Home sweet home", he said looking over at Naruto's disgusted face. "Trust me; it isn't as bad as it looks".

There was a group of men near the stairs who looked as though they were about to get in a fight. One man pushed the other and soon they were on the ground grabbing each other by the neck.

"I'd better walk you up", the athlete said getting out of the car and closing the door before Gaara could object.

When he opened the passenger door letting him out Gaara gave him an diminutive look. "They'll stop eventually and go back to the poker game they're fighting over"

"I'm walking you up, Gaara", his voice was firm; firmer than Gaara had ever heard it. He decided against arguing with him. It was something about hat age gap that Gave Naruto a sort of invisible authority that the red-head just couldn't shake.

They walked up the stairs and the red-head jumped a little in his own skin when he felt Naruto's arm around his waist. When they reached the decrepit front door he found himself dangerously close to the older man.

"Just for the record; this wasn't a date", Gaara said looking up at him. He tried to back away as far as he could.

"Why not?" He could feel Naruto's breath on his face.

"Because you met me only a few days ago", Gaara said unsure of himself. "You haven't known me long eno-"

His sentence was interrupted by Naruto's lips connecting with his own as they engaged in kiss that made Gaara's knees lose strength. The older man's large hands wandered down his back to the space where his skin was exposed.

He couldn't help but moan at the sensation of his touch. His rough hands against his smooth flesh made him feel safe again. His hand wandered down further to the valley of his rear end, making Gaara pull away.

Naruto looked him in his eyes. "Now it was a date". He let go of the thrilled 19 y.o. and walked back down the stairs.

Gaara, still dumbfounded unlocked his apartment in a flustered hurry and slid down the door when he got in. Fred jumped off the sofa and into his lap as he fiddled with his phone to dial a number.

_Come on, please be awake._

"_Hello?"_

"Hey"

"_Honey what's wrong you sound out of breath"_

Never in a million years did he think he'd be saying this.

"He kissed me".

* * *

><p>A mansion closer to the hills of LA<p>

The lights in the Uzumaki household were all turned off except for those in the lavish master bedroom.

The ride home from the stadium was a silent one, mainly because of the lie that Minato told. Their honeymoon began to flash through their minds simultaneously as the driver tried to strike up a conversation.

It was futile.

In their bedroom Kushina sat on her favorite golden plated stool in front of the mirror rolling her hair before going to bed. Minato stood was sitting in the bed reading another one of his volumes.

They'd said little to each other after the game.

She still couldn't get over how much hate swam in his eyes as he gazed upon the flamboyantly dressed youth. It was frightening to see the same monster who pummeled the poor bell hop on their honeymoon come out from its prison behind the shadows of time and forgiveness.

It almost made her angry. What was wrong with him? In her eyes it seemed idiotic to be such a bigot. It was as if his hate was a disease that burdened her and made life harder for the both of them.

There was still no doubt that she loved Minato, but his still was a very ignorant man in some areas.

She finally could no longer hold her tongue. "I know you didn't have a headache", she said flatly.

He snapped his head over in her direction in surprise. "What the hell do you mean? Of course I had a headache".

She laughed dryly. "It's funny. You got the headache _precisely _when that red haired boy walked in", she said spraying her rolled hair with a night locker and looking it over from different angles.

"I'm not listening to this", he said without emotion in his deep voice.

She didn't get up; she only sat on the stool with that wooden brush in her hand staring at her angry reflection in the mirror. It was time to pull this bitch out from under the rug.

"Fine, don't listen", she said. "But you and I both know that you left pouting because that boy was gay".

"Kushina, I'm warning you", he said dangerously.

"And I think you really got pissed when he started waiving at Naruto"

"Kushina..." he said getting up from the bed and walking up behind Kushina. She could see his furious reflection in the mirror over her own.

"I mean, he was the only person I can think of that could've given him that ticket"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Kushina slung the wooden brush into the shower window sending shards of glass all over the floor across from them in the bathroom. She turned to face him with her fists clenched.

She stood up and got within inches of his trembling form. "I'm about to go to sleep and when I wake up, _**THAT **_Minato", she said pointing to a picture of them before their honeymoon.

"He better not be there, or so help me God I'll leave you", she said as she walked pass him and got into the bed and turned off the lamp on her side of the bed.

Minato looked at her back turned to him in the bed.

_This isn't over, _he thought vehemently; struggling to decipher whether he was talking to his wife or Gaara.

* * *

><p>Monday morning, a sleepy bedroom in a loft<p>

The sun was bright that morning.

It was as if the sun saw that love on Earth wasn't being forsaken and it decided to reward the people of LA with it warm ray; not too hot nor too shaded by the clouds protection.

People all over the city were awake by 10:45 and they were out and about; at work, running errands etc.

The rest of the team was drunk but they were sober enough to notice that their main partier was missing that particular evening. Naruto had a history of being generous with strippers.

The QB had no intention of going with them had he not saw Gaara in the lobby last night.

If he wasn't there he would've driven all the way to the red-head's apartment, if he had to. Ever since he was a child he had grown accustomed to getting what he wanted at all costs.

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were best friends and it had been that way since they were in middle school. This being the case, Sasuke had an annoying habit of calling Sakura more than he called his own manager; something Lee confronted him about often.

Naruto's number of female sex partner's had been at its peak then all of the sudden, these women stopped appearing in his life all together, almost within a matter of days it seemed.

Something was amiss. Surely amiss.

Naruto lie in bed clad in boxer briefs under the black sheets. He hesitated to open his eyes out of sheer habit, when he remembered; he didn't get drunk the night before. He had a few cups of Sake but that hardly fazed him.

He opened his eyes to look at the bat window in his bedroom facing the sun's appreciative shine.

He got up from his sleeping position and sat up in bed. He stretched stiffly as he got up to go use the bathroom. He looked in the mirror at his messy blonde hair all over his head.

Walking into the kitchen he noticed the sound of the people across from him.

Mr. and Mrs. Opelmann were two young German-American newly weds who married at 23 and 25. Both of them worked at the same hospital. She was an RN and he was a surgical technician.

Every day they, on their way out the door, spoke loudly about how mean and nasty the doctors could be at hospitals just because of the fact that they wore a silly white coat.

As Naruto was about to attack a heaping pile of cream cheese and bagels, there was a loud knock on his door. He soon regretted giving Sakura key in case of emergencies.

He stood and watched all of the several latches unlock and then saw the door open to reveal an not-so-happy athletic manager. He stood in the door way, not letting her in. He smiled down at her teasingly.

"Uh, yeah this isn't such a good time, you see I've got a lady in the back here and-", he said as she angrily pushed him aside letting herself in the comfy loft as she threw her briefcase down by the door

"Oh shut up, I know you haven't been getting any", she took a seat at the second bar stool and snatched a bagel from the massive pile.

"What are you talking about?" He said leaning on the counter in the kitchen. "I may not have anybody here now, but that doesn't mean I'm not getting _any_".

"That's actually why I'm here", she said grabbing a napkin. "Sasuke's been blowing up MY phone wondering where YOU were last night, which is a good question"

Naruto gave a scowl. "I'm a grown man. I can spend my Sunday night with whoever I fucking want", he said angrily. "Sasuke's not my fucking father either".

"With? Let me guess, you got lazy and called a hooker"

"Nope", he said proudly folding his arms. "For your information, I went on a _date_".

"Who was she? Or he?"

Her question shocked him. He'd told Sakura he was bisexual quite a while ago and had t remind himself that it was ok to confide in her; something he valued about their friendship even in its earlier days.

"His name is Gaara, Gaara Sabaku"

"I've never heard a name like that before", she commented as she got up to make some coffee. "How old is he?"

Naruto looked left and right nervously. "He's in college"

"Naruto, How old is he?" Her voice rose in frustration at his obvious evasion of the question at hand.

"He's a cosmetology major"

"NARUTO!"

The large man cowered behind the counter like a frightened child before his mother. "Yes?"

"How. Old. Is. He"

"19"

The pink haired girl's face went white. "WWWHHHHAAAAAT!"

"My goodness you scream a lot in the morning", he said playfully as his irate manager looked like she was about to jump over the counter and strangle him to death with her bare hands.

"Have you lost your mind!" She slammed the lid to the coffee maker down. She punched him as hard as she could on his bare shoulder.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?" He rubbed the now sore spot.

"You dumbass, you could go to jail!"

"He's younger", he admitted coyly seeing the rising anger in her. "And plus, I haven't even fucked him yet"

"YET!"

"Yeah, when you see him you'll see why", he said indignantly.

"Two years are easier to lie about than you think", she said claming down a little. "He could be lying just to be with-"

"He's not like that!" He shoved his finger in her face with fire in his eyes at her partial accusation. "Gaara would never use me"

"Don't you scream at me like that", she said slapping his hand away. "And I'm just trying to protect you; it's kind of my _JOB_!"

He sighed heavily and walked away. He rested his palm on a section of the counter farther away from Sakura and she noticed the dejected guilty look in his eyes. This was the same look in his eyes he got every time he ever lashed out on someone he loved.

She walked up to him. "Look, I'm sorry for accusing him of being a ...gold digger, but you have to understand; everyday I see _good_ athletes like you get taken advantage of by these money hungry leeches and I _**will not**_ let that happen to you"

He looked at her with a sincere gaze. "Sakura, from the moment I saw him, he's been driving me fucking crazy", he ran a hand through is messy hair again.

Sakura never thought she'd see him like this again. Not after what Charlotte did to him.

"He's so down to earth, so sexy, so witty, so, so...real", he said looking for the ultimate word to describe the captain of his sea of thoughts that crossed him mind every day.

They ate breakfast together chatting calmly about the future's events. Right before she left she looked at him while she stood in the doorway.

"I have to go to a meeting but meet me at Pearl's at 7:00 sharp. We need to go over your endorsement schedule for this week", she said firmly.

Naruto's face filled with dread. Endorsements; the unwanted pleasure of playing football. Everybody wanted to put their label on an athlete, they were successful, in shape and everybody talked about them.

Suddenly an idea popped into his head. "Hey, can I bring a friend?"

She sighed heavily knowing exactly who he was talking about. "Fine". She walked out the door and Naruto closed and locked the door behind her. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.

Over the passing months Naruto had gotten over the event that ended his engagement with Charlotte Manassey.

Sakura had only heard him talk about someone driving him crazy once before that day and never had she thought she'd hear it again. Over the years she'd noticed that it took a lot to make Naruto fall in love.

When the QB met Charlotte about two years earlier, he was madly in love with her.

Women all over the country envied her. Her gorgeous brown hair that ran down her back, often swayed in the wind, mesmerizing Naruto sometimes to the point where nothing seemed to matter.

He met her at a bar much like Maude's, only this time he was accompanied by the entire football team.

There were about 34 women on staff that night on account of their rich and powerful clientele. The bar was quite large but many of the women who had no tables to wait danced naked on tables and counters for tips.

The manager didn't car as long as his employees got paid somehow and some of the 100s being tossed on stage would go to the bar's daily revenue anyway.

But then she came, a mid-height, leggy brunette with blazing hazel eyes came walking down to his table in a pair of pumps and a bustier and a tiny black under garment.

As soon as she spoke, Naruto's heart did back-flips in his chest.

He'd never seen a woman so beautiful in his life. She wasn't like the other women there. She didn't over-flirt. He didn't see the money bags in her eyes like the rest of them. It was refreshing.

Little did he know that she was already from a wealthy family.

Janet Manassey grew worried about her daughter over the years and soon forced her to go out and get a job to support herself for at least a year before she would let her father give her another dime.

Her spending had gotten out of control. Something had to be done.

They were immediately smitten with each other in a matter of days. Everywhere he was, she was always near by and vice versa. They were inseparable and soon the public took an interest.

Everywhere, the headlines read 'LA's own 'bullet' just found his gun', 'Uzumaki in love?', 'Naruto U. finds soul mate'.

He didn't care. He was so deep in love that he let the tabloids say whatever they wanted. All the while Charlotte never told him about her family's enormous fortune. She never thought it mattered.

It didn't. And after 7 months of dating, he proposed to her on a gondola on a canal in Venice. It was the most magical night of her life. The public alos found out and made it world news.

_One of the world's best athletes weds everyday gal._

But like a dream, their bliss came to a grueling halt.

_Flashback_

_It was an extremely hot day outside and Naruto returned from the gym sweating profusely. _

_He had committed himself to a daily workout, something inspired by his bride to be._

_He jogged into his extravagant house he'd purchased only a few months ago. _

_There were still boxes scattered around he floor. He went into the kitchen and heard a slight bang on the ceiling._

_Charlotte claimed to be out shopping and that she wanted to meet and have lunch with a girlfriend that day._

_Naruto was supposed to be meeting with Sakura and Minato for golf at his father's mansion, but Sakura and Minato coincidentally came down with severe coughs that day._

_They called to cancel that morning after Charlotte left. He decided to go to the gym and run around the track for a few hours instead._

_Once he made it to the kitchen he poured him self a tall glass of water._

_He looked at the gorgeously decorated kitchen._

_He became swelled with happiness all over again. _

_He love Charlotte dearly and knew that the strong feeling was mutual._

_He sat down on one of the bar stools. _

_He thought about the coming days events. _

_It was probably a good thing that he didn't meet with his father AND Sakura that day before his wedding._

_All that would happen was going to be Minato talking about how he needed to learn quickly to put his wife in her place, something he himself had never done and most likely wouldn't._

_And Sakura would call him a 'sexist bastard' under her breath. Naruto would snicker, Minato would ask what was funny and they'd both sat 'nothing'._

_It was sad how he could easily predict events when those tow were involved._

_He heard another bang on the ceiling. _

_It was probably the pieces of the statue upstairs falling. He threw it together at the last minute to get Charlotte to be happy with him. _

_He was surprised it didn't start falling apart earlier._

_He heard another bang, and another and another._

_It didn't come in that many pieces, he thought to himself._

_He debated whether or not to go up the stairs to check on something that was most likely nothing._

_He heard a hoarse groan that nearly rattled the house._

_He got up immediately and dashed up the stairs and to the master bedroom._

_The door was closed and he heard a chorus of voices inside that he wished never met his ears._

_Shaking with a milky mix of emotions, he opened the door that revealed the woman he fell in love with in between two of his teammates._

_The taller man with a dirty blonde hair was inside her womanhood and the length that belonged to the shorter stockier man was pointed in front of her shocked face that was sprinkled with his semen._

_There were many things that Naruto wanted to do at that moment._

_He lunged at the ménage a trio, not caring who he hit but began swinging left and right, managing to hit the two men who struggled to defend themselves and cover their dying erections at the same time._

_Charlotte simply covered herself up with the brown sheet and curled up in the corner as she witnessed her fiancée beating the two men senseless on his own, fueled by rage._

_They managed to escape and run out the door. He didn't run after them however, he hung in the doorway._

_He slowly turned around to see his future wife in a fetal position, covered by just a sheet, trying desperately to wipe the white liquid off of her shocked guilty face._

_His face was blank and plain, she could hardly tell if he was looking at her or above her head._

_An estuary of tears formed in his eyes and began to fall down his face; he could taste the saltiness of his tears mixing with the saltiness of his sweat. He didn't know quite what to her._

_To her, he seemed to stare at her in that corner for an eternity. But to him it all seemed to happen so fast, so fast that he just couldn't seem to grasp time, grasp even the essence of time._

* * *

><p>Across the way in a mid-grade apartment complex<p>

_**I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me**_

_**Paparazzi...**_

A woman sat on her couch, just coming in from a round of important errands.

She slipped out of her high heels and let down her flawless brown hair. It shined in the light provided by the sun through the forever transient window. She ran a hand through its long wavy locks.

She looked at her phone. It was already 4:00.

She turned the TV on. Nothing was on; she only needed something to provided distraction from the emptiness of the apartment. She heard a faint meow in the back of the kitchen.

A slinky black cat walked out and jumped on the sofa with her owner. She purred softly.

"There you are, Jade", she cooed. She named the feline after her favorite shade of green. She hated emerald, despised dark, and loathed sea-foam green. She hated that shade ever since she was a child. She even hated the name.

She had two missed calls.

_James D. _and _Victoria E._

Two important calls that she needed to return before the end of the day. She reached down and brought back up a leather binder with a few documents in it. It wasn't very full only the papers were old and wrinkled.

She left the binder open and got up from the sofa to go to the kitchen.

She reached in the cabinet and poured herself a glass of wine and returned to her seat on the sofa. As she took a spiteful look at the document in front of her, Jade curled up next to her purring to be stroked.

Charlotte stroked the feline gently as she took a sip of the red wine in her hand.

_**Baby there's no other super star you know that I'll be**_

_**You paparazzi...**_

Before her was a birth certificate.

It read:

_State of Alabama_

_City of Clay_

_Certificate of Birth_

_Benito Ignacio Episcopal Hospital_

_The 19__th__ Day of January_

_Gaara Suna no Sabaku_

_Male_

_6.89 lb _

_Mother: Karura Sabaku_

_Father: Yondaime Kazekage_

_(Foot print)(Hand print)_

_**Promise I'll be kind, but I won't stop until that boy is mine...**_

As she looked at the document, she swelled with contempt. His very birth angered her from a deeper place than anything had ever angered her. How dare he. He had no right to what he was up to, or what she thought he was up to, or she would make appear to like he was up to.

She turned the page to reveal a copy of a picture of the red-head. It was a photo of him after a competition for marching band.

She hated him with every fiber of her being. She hated him so much that she began to shake. She felt like she was sitting idly while her life was being stolen right from under her nose.

His hair was tied back. He wore a black body suit that covered his feet, hands and went up to his neck. The black body suit fit him snugly, revealing his every curve. His smile was captivating.

His dark-traced eyes were accompanied by a thick shade around his eyes to cling to the dark them of the marching show. He held his flag and rifle in his hand in the single smiling brightly for the camera.

She loathed his emerald eyes but beyond that she absolutely detested his hair.

Never in her life had she seen a hair that color before, it was brighter than crimson but darker and richer than rose. And what fueled her rage the most was that it was undoubtedly real.

She couldn't stand to look at the hideously red hair before her eyes. She ripped the sheet out and placed it on the table.

She looked at the next sheet of paper and all of her worries seemed to melt away. This was what would do the trick.

Charlotte loved Naruto, with such an unhealthy forcefulness that she couldn't even explain its depths to herself sometimes. It was a form of life support for her that kept her alive and away from a place she refused to go. That place was acceptance. Defeat.

She would never accept the fact that Naruto, the man that was supposed to be her fiancée, had found a boy who could potentially do what she did and more.

She looked down at the picture of Gaara smiling widely. Her face twisted into an ugly scowl. She spit on the Xerox copy. Her dark saliva mixed with wine splattered all over the image, soiling it, making it turn different colors.

She would never accept defeat. She would never let Naruto go. And she'd never stop until that bitch with his stupid fucking red hair was dead, gone and out of their gorgeous, pretty, rich, flawless, happy, carefree, silky life. Together.

_**Baby you'll be famous, chase you down until you love me**_

_**Paparazzi...**_

* * *

><p>The tall column of steps before the cosmetology building at the university 4:15<p>

About 100 students walked out of the cosmetology building at the university at once ready to enjoy their Monday night like everyone else.

These students didn't look like the average university student, yet was there such a person? These students had wild natural hair-styles, exotic make-up, and colorful nails.

These students had an eye for decorating and making the human body glow.

Gaara Sabaku sat at the steps that afternoon with a sour look on his face. The school sent an e-mail to the student population who lived off campus notifying them that the bus route had changed and would not be picking anyone up from that university at that time any more due to gas prices.

Little did they know that only one person rode the bus and lived off campus. Gaara.

He didn't know where the other bus stop was and by the time he would've gotten there he probably would have missed it and would've had to wait another two and a half hours from the next one.

He saw people walking past him to their cars and rides.

He loved the courses at the college but didn't quite feel the same way about the other students and the feeling was mutual. They walked past him and saw him sitting on the steps, bag still over his shoulder and all.

He saw a few people standing at the curb below him and the bottom of the stairs. He could barely hear what they were saying but could make out the general idea of what, or who they were talking about.

If asked, he would always say that he was used to people talking about him, only he wasn't used to it. And he would never get used to it, he soon found out a long time ago.

It still stung, he still felt that uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he still became nervous when their eyes touched him.

"Ugh! I hate him"

"I know"

"I mean I know we Cosmo majors but damn"

"I know, he dresses like a ho"

"He walks like he just got fucked in the ass"

"Sounds about right"

"I heard he gave Professor Flaubert a blowjob"

"That would probably explain why he graded so easily this week"

"That's fucking gross! The man's married and an he's like in his 60s"

"What a shame, breaking up a marriage like that"

"I know, I heard he and his wife were having issues"

"Well, it's his conscience not mine"

"Yeah"

"Yep, he'll have to answer for that one"

Gaara felt anger rise up inside of him at the horrific allegations being said against him. He knew it was big university but he never knew rumors were being spread about him. He talked to virtually no one.

He was almost invisible and he liked it that way.

He wanted to walk down the steps and tell them to take their stupid rumors and go fuck themselves to death, but that wouldn't get him home any faster or make the rumors go away any faster either.

He just sat there, fuming for about 15 minutes listening to his iPod. His favorite song by Zap Mama and Erykah Badu came on.

_**There somethin I learned long ago, where the wild waters flow**_

_**Something people do to set their spirits free**_

_**In the morning time, in the afternoon, in the cool evening breeze**_

_**Like Bandy Bandy, raise your body**_

Suddenly a terrible thought popped into his mind. He tried to push it away buy it engulfed him like an annoying fog that just wouldn't go away and leave him to his usual bout of despair.

He most definitely didn't _want_ to ask Naruto to drive all the way over to him and give him a ride home. Surely he also didn't want to give these rumor hungry savages another 'hot topic' to talk about behind his back.

The way he struggled to push away the very thought of calling him made him worry. He thought about the night before with great depth. He still remembered the exact spot on his lower back where his strong hand had touched him.

The thought of that kiss made his back tingle.

_No! _He thought. _I'm not going to call him up like I'm some kind of helpless little damsel for these fucking gossip-whores to have a new angle to screw me behind my back._

_You know what? I should just lose his number, because he's probably just looking for somebody to fuck on the side so he can get married and have kids and still satisfy his sexual cravings._

_Besides, even if he was serious; what the hell do I look like with a RICH football player born into a RICH family and a RICH and HOMOPHOBIC father? _

_Damn, I really think far ahead._

Another 15 minutes passed at a gruelingly slow pace.

Gaara sighed as he looked at the time on his phone. It was already 4:45. He didn't have to go to work but at that point he was quite tired of people and wanted to spend time in his small crappy apartment with his Canine; the only life form he didn't have to fret over in his life.

Then he remembered. _Fuck! How am I gonna get home?_

He looked down at his phone. His finger hovered over the touch screen containing Naruto's number. He felt like he was holding back the barrier that bridled a mass amount of water and soon would have no control over the way he felt. It wasn't like he had very much control presently either.

He touched the space on the screen and closed his eyes tightly as he put the phone up to his ear. He felt helpless as he heard that blasted tone again and again in his ear.

"_Yo"_

Gaara felt blissfully uneasy at his deep voice. "Hey, Naruto, it's me...Gaara"

"_Hey", he shifted in his driver's seat. "I was just about to call you. What's up?"_

"Well, I feel silly asking this but...the damn bus changed routes and I kinda need a ride home"

"_Gaara, you have to feel silly, of course I'll pick you up. Where are you?"_

"At the university, it's the cosmetology building on Weston and Banes"

"_I'm headed in that direction anyway"_

"Ok, thanks. I guess I'll see you when you get here"

"_Alright, Bye"_

"Bye"

Gaara took the phone down from his ear and took in a deep breath. He felt like he'd done the hardest thing he'd ever had to do in his nineteen years of living. In a way it was, he had to be fearless, if even for less than a minute.

He sat anticipating the arrival of Naruto, and all the while those dreadful students still stood around the same car talking as if they wouldn't see each other for another 10 years, it seemed.

Gaara looked at the time after fifteen more minutes. It was already 5:30.

The sleek black sports car pulled to a halt by the curb and Gaara's wistful thoughts blew away as he hurried down he steps to it. Naruto had on an Armani suit with the shoes to match and he nearly swallowed his tongue at what was coming down those concrete steps.

Gaara had on a black pair of tight jean shorts that came up to the base of his ass, a pair of fishnets that went down into his shoes, a silver spiked belt and a tight white v-neck t-shirt with "I'm beautiful in my way cuz God makes no mistakes I'm on the right track baby I was born this way", written in cursive across the front.

The gossips looked at him with ugly glares when they saw him climb under the butterfly door that opened for him and closed behind him.

Naruto gaped at the red-head as he fastened his seatbelt and looked over at him. "Thanks for the ride", he said smiling apologetically.

"No problem", he said as his eyes and mind traveled up and down Gaara's back. He drove away from the curb. "No problem at all"

"Well, that's good because I didn't wanna inconvenience you or anything", Gaara said looking out he window.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something", he said.

Gaara turned away from the window and looked across at the driver. "What?"

"I'm about to meet my manager at this Spanish restaurant and-"

"No"

"You didn't even know what it was gonna ask"

"You were about to ask me to go with you so your manager can meet me"

"What's wrong with that!"

"Well let's see your father doesn't like me, neither do your fans, I'm not really looking to strike out with your manager", he said sarcastically.

"Come on, she's not like my fans. I've known her since middle school", he defending her. "And her and my father are nearly opposites".

Gaara folded his arms across his chest and looked back out the window. "Fine, I'll go"

"That's a good boy", he teased as he reached for Gaara's chin. The red-head slapped his hand away as hard as he could. "I'm kidding"

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this"

"You really need to loosen up"

"And you really need to shut the fuck up"

"I don't think I like your tone", he said before giving a bowling laugh.

"I swear, I'm gonna kick you in the nuts", Gaara said sharply. He only made Naruto laugh even harder. The dynamics of their young relationship were growing in oddity by every passing day.

The ride to the restaurant was filled with the QB's laughter dying off until they pulled into the parking lot. The outside was beautifully decorated with flawless 16th century Spanish art.

Gaara swallowed his annoyance when he gulped at, once again, the expensive cars, the valet, and the people walking into the place in formal and semi-formal wear. It was the night before all over again.

_So that's why he's wearing a suit._

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me this was a formal restaurant?"

"Must've slipped my mind", he said nonchalantly as he got out of the car first. He came around to Gaara's side and opened the door. He reached out to grab Gaara's hand but he slapped it away once again.

He handed the key to the vale and they began walking inside.

"Slipped your mind!"

_I oughta slip my fist across your face._

"Yeah, It was my bad, you'll be fine", he said reassuringly as he placed his hand behind Gaara's back. He had to push a little on account of the 19y.o.'s hesitant pace to enter the grand establishment.

As they entered the man at the front counter's face lit up at the sight of one guest in a suit and twisted into a poorly hidden scowl when he saw his accompanied guestin a pair of booty shorts and a v-neck.

"Welcome, Mr. Uzumaki and ...guest", he said ending with a fake tone of politeness. "Ms. Haruno and are waiting for you".

Naruto's face went white again. _Oh, shit._

"Thanks, Ignacio", he said as he made his way to the table and he saw that Gaara hesitated a little.

"You didn't tell me there were gonna be more people!" He whispered loudly as he walked along side Naruto. "I'm just about sick of surprises right about now"

"I didn't know she was bringing him!"

"He's gonna hate me, isn't he?" Gaara slapped his forehead.

Naruto chuckled. "Most likely, but hey, you're a big boy, right?" He smirked down at the fuming youth.

"I hate you so fucking much right now", he seethed as they traveled to the dreadful table that seemed to be miles away.

When they walked through the area where all of the inside tables were located and many of the guest stopped eating to stare at the brashly dressed youth walking before them.

Gaara felt like marmalade in his clothes as hordes of the guests in the dining turned to look at him walk down the middle isle. His ass jiggled in the tight shorts he wore and the round mass of love was almost visible from the bottom of the tiny article of clothing.

Sakura and Sasuke sat on the second floor and she looked at her watch it was already 6:00 and he wasn't there.

There were many thoughts going through her head of pink hair about what she thought this youth would look like. But never in her life did she ever dream of he client and best friend to walk in with someone like that.

Sasuke frowned. "Where the fuck is he! I'm hungry".

"Oh shut up you big baby", she said but her near verbal slashing was interrupted

She nearly fell out of her chair when Naruto appeared at the top of the stairs with the red-headed boy. _Oh my goodness, what has he done now!_

Sasuke's smirk broadened. Naruto would never live this down. His devious laughter caused him to receive a slap to the chest by Sakura pretending to look welcoming to the wayward looking youth without showing her true dislike.

Over the years, Naruto had gotten into some pretty hairy situations but this was just insane. She'd never seen a person who looked quite like that, but the thing she couldn't get over was that hair.

Naruto walked up to them and gave Sasuke a 'go easy on him' look.

"Gaara, this is Sasuke Uchiha, one of my teammates and Sakura Haruno, my athletic manager", Naruto said pointing to the two judgmental people.

"Guys this is Gaara Sabaku", he motioned to Gaara. He reached out and gladly shook Sakura's hand and exchanged hello's and hi's but Sasuke only gave him a condescendingly disapproving look that felt like an arrow to Gaara.

He looked over to Naruto. "You missed out on two nights with the guys for _this_", he said motioning his head over to Gaara. The red-head looked like he was about punch the man in his jaw regardless of how much Sasuke towered over him.

Sakura intervened. "Okay, let's eat! I'm starved".

They immediately sat down at the tale for four, all the while Naruto glaring at Sasuke for his brash remark. If there was one thing he hated, it was a pro-athlete with his head up his ass.

The waiter came by and asked for their drink orders and disappeared to the upstairs portion of the kitchen. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all ordered wine but Gaara settled for his usual water with a lemon wedge.

Sakura pulled a few papers out and started going over Naruto's endorsement schedule. Sasuke took quick glances back over at Gaara throughout the outside conversation. Something was up.

He was also aware that Naruto was bisexual but surely didn't think he acted on it. _Well, he is a bit too old for short phases,_ he thought as he shrugged off the thought. But no matter how much he was fine with Naruto being bisexual, he just couldn't get used to _him_.

The waiter came and handed them all their water and wine. Gaara took a sip and received an odd look from Sasuke. The endorsement conversation was over, leaving them no shield to protect themselves from the elephant in the restaurant.

"Wine a little too strong for you?" Sasuke said looking at Gaara over the brim of his wine glass.

_It's ok Gaara. Just smile and be polite,_ he thought to keep himself to keep from cursing the deep voiced and cocky man out. Gaara shuffled in his seat, this was really going to make him un-popular among the group.

"I can't drink", he said with a tiny hint of fear in his voice. He quietly resented Naruto for leaving to fend for himself. "I'm 19".

Sasuke and Sakura nearly choked on their drink and she began coughing uncontrollably. Sasuke looked over at Naruto, who was pretending to be engaged in looking through the menu, with a sly smirk.

"This is just golden", he said chuckling. "You do know Casanova here is 26, right?"

"Yes", he replied trying not to show the nervousness and helplessness he felt inside. After so many years of being aimed at, he simply had to learn to roll with the punches and act like they didn't bruise him like they did.

"Naruto, I never pictured you as the sugar daddy type", he said looking at a now equally smirking Naruto.

"Whatever you say", he replied sarcastically.

"Now that's what I'm talking about", Sasuke said pointing to the group of women walking in the restaurant. They weren't laughing wildly like the ones at the Japanese restaurant but held coquettish smiles as they conveniently sat at the table across the upstairs ledge from them near the banister.

They waived over at the two men like before, only this time they were dressed in Freakum dresses that showed off their legs and back. Gaara was hidden from vision by Naruto's larger form but they could still see that someone was sitting next to him.

_Why me? _Gaara mentally slapped himself for agreeing to go to this retched restaurant and its retched people.

The waiter came back to take their orders for an appetizer and then went back through the double doors, Gaara felt awfully sorry for the poor girl. He was off that day but could feel her pain of having to tend to so many people at once.

Sasuke aimed his gun back at Gaara who was lost in his thoughts. "So, Gary..."

"It's Gaara", he corrected letting a little of his frustration slip.

"Whatever, where did you two meet?" He knew precisely the answer he wanted to get from the red-head and had a feeling that he was going to get just that.

_Shoot me. _"He met me at work".

"Which is..?"

"...maude's..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you"

Gaara cleared his throat to see Sasuke smirking at him. "I'm a waiter at Maude's", he said with a little more confidence, only he wished Maude's wasn't famous enough for most people to recognize the name.

"Maude's?" Sasuke looked over to Naruto who was putting a few dates in his phone.

"What can I say? Their ramen is amazing", he said flippantly.

"Don't the waiters there have to walk around half naked?"

"Yes", Gaara said trying his hardest to hold his tongue. "It's apart of our uniform".

Gaara was always more popular among women by virtue of the fact that he was gay and studying to be a make-up artist. He wished and prayed that Sakura would come to his aid.

Only, she had a few questions of her own. "You said you're nineteen, right?"

"Yes"

"Your parents know anything about you dating a man 7 years older than you", she said condescendingly taking a sip of her wine. "I mean, are your parents even still around?"

Gaara was taken back by the blatant question, even though he knew what she was insinuating. He cleared his throat again.

"Well, my mother lives in Atlanta, I'm in college here", he said hoping they wouldn't ask about his father.

Sasuke was the one to ask. "What about your dad?"

Gaara looked away briefly. "He died when I was about 5 or 6", he said.

Only Sakura felt a hint of guilt for interrogating the youth so harshly. "I'm sorry to hear that", she said, condolence in his voice. Sasuke looked over at her as if she were a weakling.

"That wasn't very long ago for you, eh?" He smirked at Naruto.

"Play nice", he said playfully chuckling back. Gaara wanted to choke him.

The waiter brought their food out. Sakura and Gaara didn't order much but the table could barely hold all of the food ordered by Sasuke and Naruto. Gaara was nearly forced to hold his plate of baked chicken and Spanish rice in his hands.

The women across from them were talking about something amongst themselves but Gaara could tell that they were talking about the athletes at the table by the frequent mentioning of their names.

One of the girls decided to come over. She was an average height for a woman; her hair was a brilliantly bright shade of bright. She was wearing a form fitting black dress that stopped below the top of her thighs and a pair of black pumps.

Sasuke's eyes wandered off of his food as he wiped his mouth. Her dress's bust line was dangerously low and she had the bust that made it dangerous, Sakura sighed. This was all too familiar to her.

She turned to the two men. "Oh my God, I'm such a big fan of you two". She clasped her hands together holding a black marker used for body writing.

Sasuke was grinning wildly. "Big fan, huh?"

_Shoot me once, shoot me twice, shoot me THREE fucking times, _Gaara thought as he quietly vowed to never agree to go anywhere with this man ever again as long as he shall live.

"You have no idea", she said holding out the marker to Naruto and Sasuke. "Can I have an autograph?"

Naruto took the marker from her and began looking around for a notepad, piece of paper or anything he was supposed to sign. "You have a pad or something?"

The girl's eyes softened a little as she grabbed the bust line of her dress and pulled it down far enough for her breasts to reveal themselves right in front of the four of them. Sasuke was convinced. She was a fan.

_You know, the apartment really isn't that far to walk from here. I could use the exercise, _Gaara reasoned with himself as he looked at his phone for the time. It was only 6:30

Naruto had to stop himself from gaping like a curious little boy. He chuckled a little and grabbed the girl's woman hood and marked his name and a few words on it.

Sasuke took the marker and signed the other breast, having to do it right in front of Sakura's face. She pulled her chair back as far as she could and grimaced at the sight before her.

"Nice tits, by the way", Sasuke said slyly as the girl slipped her womanhood back in the reigns of her dress. She returned to the table and the other three girls began to giggle uncontrollably.

Gaara took his fork and fumbled around with the last remnants of food on his plate. Naruto turned around to see Gaara's half content half sulking form playing with a grain of rice.

Sasuke, recharged by the previous events, turned back to tormenting his best friend's guest. "So, Gavin..."

Gaara was past hiding his frustration. "My. Name. Is. Gaaaaaaaarrrrrrrraaaaaaaaa", he said enunciating with his hands in annoyance.

"Whatever", he said taking a sip of his second glass of wine. "How you like hanging out with 'the Quarterback of the generation'?" He referred to the name many sports magazines had dubbed him in the past several years.

He turned to Naruto and then back to Sasuke. "It isn't all it's cracked up to be", he said cynically.

"You hear that, Naruto?" Sasuke said over to Naruto who knew the exact question that was coming next.

"Can you blame him?" He asked back looking down at Gaara, who was ready to jump across the table.

"You nailed him yet?"

"Sasuke!" Sakura punched him on his shoulder playfully and took a sip of her own wine. "You're terrible", she said laughing a little.

"No, we haven't had sex yet" Naruto said. "Unlike you, sex isn't my first priority in a relationship". He calmly took a sip of his wine. He could see Gaara's fist's clenching under the table.

"Not yet? That's a new one", Sasuke said smugly as the waiter came back with the bill. She couldn't tell who was paying for what so she just came back with four checks since they all looked like they could pay.

Gaara picked up the check, he'd only ordered water and the Spanish rice w/ baked chicken and the bill was already up to a whopping $60.42. He nearly passed out when looking at the frightening price.

"See something you don't like?" Sasuke said amused at the face Gaara made at the heavily expensive bill for such a small amount of food. Gaara only ignored him in lieu of not cursing him out in front of his 'fan'.

"Why don't you let your Sugar Daddy take care of it", he said slipping his credit card into the black book. "I mean, that is why you're with him right?"

"Watch it", Naruto said eyeing from across the table. He himself couldn't why he got so defensive over the subject of Gaara nd the amount of money he made.

The remaining three girls at the table all got up and came over to the tense table where Gaara seemed to be the only one who wasn't exactly having a good dining experience.

They all came over giggling, a brunette, another blonde and a girl with dark brown hair. The brunette was the one to speak on the behalf of the three of them. Sasuke was biting his lips at the row of bust lines in front of him.

"Sorry to bother you guys, but we're really big fans too so...", she said holding out the same body maker. "I hope you don't mind signing us too".

_Oh please, you are NOT sorry, _Gaara thought vehemently as he gulped down some of his water. Naruto chuckled as did Sasuke as like a domino effect all three women pulled down the tops of their dresses revealing their breasts.

Naruto smiled as he wrote on the flesh placed before him and passed the marker over to Sasuke. Sakura got up and switched seats to save herself from the horror that was now tripled in front of her.

"Gotta love my fans", he said smirking up at the women standing about him. He playfully ran his lips across the three of them unleashing a wave of uncontrollable laughter from the group.

Gaara scratched his red hair and sighed deeply as they returned to their seats. Naruto winked over at them when they looked back over. Sakura looked across the table at Gaara's distress.

She was almost angry at him for appearing to be so weak. The waitress returned with the checks and wished them a good evening.

Sakura spoke up. "I really hope that little peep show didn't trip you up, sweetie", she said, anger present in her voice. Gaara snapped his head over at her in surprise at her comment.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, please you looked like you were about to cry when those girls whipped out their boobs for these two"

"No, I wasn-"

Sakura interrupted him. "Look, kid, if you wanna hang out with one of the world's best athletes, you better expect some competition"

"...", Gaara clenched hid teeth inside of his closed mouth.

"And quite frankly, you're just too young for that right now", she said slipping her hand band in the crook of her arm. "Face it, kid. This just isn't the world for you".

"Sakura...", Naruto said in her direction. "Don't be like that". She only shrugged her shoulders as if his words didn't faze her in the least.

"It's the truth and you know it"

Sasuke jumped in. "To be honest, man", he said looking over at Naruto. "You could do a shit load better than _this_", said nudging his head over to Gaara.

"Don't' you two have a curb to get drunk and fall over", he said dejectedly back at them.

"But I mean, come on" Sasuke said chuckling. "Look at him, it looks like you found him on the corner", he said smugly chortling.

Sakura looked at Naruto with a 'you-know-he's-right' look. "Hm", she said flippantly.

"Come back with the guys Sunday night, and I'll show you something real", he said raising his brows at a still neutral Naruto. Gaara finally reached the breaking point that he was trying to avoid all night.

He snatched Sasuke's wine and threw it on the laughing half-back and slung the glass at the wall next to them. He sputtered the purple liquid as he got up from his sear furiously. Wine dripped down his face and onto his clothes.

"You bitch!"

Gaara scowled at him. "Likewise", he stormed out of the area as several people turned to see what all of the commotion was in and area of the restaurant that was singled out to be peaceful because of its notable guests.

Sasuke looked up at Sakura as Naruto ran after Gaara. "I just bought his fucking suit!" He grabbed a towel and pathetically tried to dry some of the deep purple blotches on the expensive clothing.

Sakura threw her hands up as she began walking out. "Hey, I stopped. It was your drunk-ass who had to bring up the strip club", she said and made her exit through the upstairs exit.

Gaara genuinely wanted that evening to turn out fine but wasn't exactly used to getting what he wanted either at that point. He was caught by Naruto near the booth as the valet brought his car up and handed him the keys.

"Gaara, wait!" He tried to grab him by the shoulder but the red-head only jerked away from his touch.

"Wait? No, I'm not waiting for you again like I waited for you to stick up for me in there". He scoffed at the dumbfounded QB and stormed off down the drive way and onto the sidewalk.

"Gaara, come back!" He yelled as he saw the youth give him the finger and kept walking down the sidewalk. The clouds above began to get dark, because of the sun going down and the rain that was to ensue.

Naruto tipped the valet and jumped in his car. He burned rubber on the concrete as he raced after the angry red-head about to walk home in the rain.

He only drove a few blocks and found Gaara walking with his messenger bag over his shoulder containing all of his school things. He walked back through the rougher streets as he entered the section of LA where his apartment was located, even though they weren't close to it.

He rolled his window down and kept his foot on the accelerator to keep up with him. "Gaara, get in"

"I don't get in the car with strangers", he said flatly as he turned the corner.

Naruto steered around the corner, following him. "Gaara, it's about to rain, don't be stupid"

"So, now I'm stupid", he chuckled. "It never stops with you".

The rain began to fall gradually and soon it was pouring. The sky had grown darker and the streets were now glistening under the streets lights above them.

"Gaara, I'm sorry"

"A little late for that, don't you think?" He said sarcastically as he folded his arms across his chest when the rain on his bare skin began to get cold from the wind that began to blow.

"You're gonna get sick by time you get home, just get in the car"

"And why the hell do you care? You didn't seem to care that much when your little 'friend' was calling me a whore".

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I'm just so used to him playing like that it didn't faze me"

"Yeah, well I'm not and that's probably because he was serious", Gaara stumbled on a slab of concrete on the side walk that jutted out in the form of a big crack in the pathway.

"I know and I should've said something", he said having to raise his voice at the intensifying rain. "Just get in the car!"

"Who the hell do you think you are? You're not my fucking father"

"GAARA!" He roared at the furious youth walking in the rain. He could see the water dripping off of his body. His white t-shirt was already tight, but the rain made the clothing stick like a second skin. He tried to refrain from gaining an erection.

"WHAT?" The fall of the rain was roaring along with the thunder. Gaara stopped with Naruto and glared in the car with his arms still folded.

"I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASS IN THIS CAR I'LL PUT YOU IN IT MYSELF!"

"I DARE YOU, MUTHERFUCKER!"

Naruto threw up the door, leaving the jacket of his suit inside the car and charged at Gaara in the fierce rain. They were on a street of abandoned apartment where few people lived and nobody drove because of the fear of being mugged.

He ran up to Gaara and tried to grab him but the youth thrashed at the taller man with all of his might. Naruto restrained his hands but it didn't stop him from struggling with every ounce of strength he had.

"LET ME GO!" Gaara tried to kick him but he soon was trapped in between the QB and the wall behind them. The rain was pouring more than before. Both of them were drenched.

"Never", Naruto said softer as he captured Gaara's lips in a passionate kiss. He couldn't fight no matter how much he wanted to, to break away from his lips, to walk away from him and live a normal life like he expected. Only, he couldn't.

Naruto let go of his hands that no longer fought him and cupped his face in his strong hands. Gaara moaned as the hands moved down from his face and wrapped around his waist. The same security that he felt the night before was realized again only it was heightened.

The older man pressed Gaara harder into the wall with his erect mid-section, making the re-head feel a tingle of excitement run through his spine. He could feel Naruto's hands squeezing and groping his ass furiously and moaned even louder. This was getting out of hand.

He yanked himself from Naruto's arms and began fighting again. He tried to push Naruto away from him and began beating his rock hard chest as hard as he could, but to no avail. He soon saw the ground below him get closer as Naruto hoisted him over his shoulder.

"PUT ME DOWN YOU BASTARD!"

Naruto opened the door to his car and nearly through the youth inside and slammed the door. The car automatically began to heat as Gaara felt the seats below him get warmer all of the sudden.

Naruto got into the driver's seat and rove down the road. He saw Gaara shivering and tossed his jacket over to him. Gaara took the large article of clothing ad put it over his wet body.

"Thanks"

"You're welcome"

Most of the ride was silent. Neither of them said a word although hundreds of thoughts were rushing through there minds at once. Neither said anything, not wanting to disrupt the moment or annoy the previous events.

They began to get accustomed to the idea that their predictions of what the night might end like were almost predestined to be wrong.

Gaara shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he wished that he wasn't wet. "You tore an extra hole in my shorts"

"And you got both of my seats wet, which is gonna cost me $800"

"And that's gonna break you?"

"No, but you're the one who brought it up"

"No, I was talking about my shorts, which _you_ tore"

"You were all wet and dripping, I couldn't help myself", he said smirking.

"You're _so_ funny", he said sarcastically.

"Fine, I'll buy you new ones"

"Is that your answer for everything? I mean did it ever occur to you that I don't want your money?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I'm just used to saying that".

"Well you need to get un-used to it. It makes me feel icky, like I'm some kinda football wife or something"

"You don't wanna be my football wife?" He said chuckling. "I'm hurt".

"And...?"

"That's cold"

"Besides, I don't feel comfortable with you buying me expensive dinners and shit"

"What if I _wanna_ buy you expensive shit?"

"What if I _don't want_ you to buy me expensive shit?"

"What if I _don't care_ what you want?"

"What if kick you in the nuts like I said I was gonna do before?"

Naruto laughed deeply. "We're here", he said as he pulled to a stop. Gaara hadn't noticed that they'd pulled up to the parking lot of his apartment complex. He was about to get out of the car and winced, hissing.

"What's wrong?" Naruto looked down at the ankle he was clutching.

"I think I twisted my ankle"

"Want me to carry you upstairs?"

"Want me to punch you in the face?"

"You're very violent"

"Why, thank you, its one of my better personality traits", he said sarcastically.

"I'm carrying you upstairs", he said getting out of the car.

Gaara was about to object but Naruto slammed the driver's side door before he could get his words out. Naruto appeared on the other side and opened the door. Naruto grabbed Gaara by the legs and his lower back and the red-head wrapped his arms around the thick neck above him.

Naruto took the soggy messenger bag and put it in Gaara's lap as he closed the door and carried the injured youth up to the stairs. Gaara looked up at the older man's determined face as he charged through the pouring rain. He had to turn away.

Naruto reached the top of the stairs and didn't let him down. Gaara looked up at him with a puzzled look.

"I think I can take it from here", he said trying to let go of his neck without falling backwards.

"I wanna come in side; I need to take a piss", he said looking down at him.

"Well let's see, maybe if you PUT ME DOWN", he said getting down on his feet. "Maybe I could unlock the door". He unlocked the door attached to the door whose paint was severely chipped.

Naruto almost grimaced as he saw the extremely small apartment as Gaara limped in before him and put his keys down on the counter. The place wasn't at all dirty; in fact it was actually very clean.

There was a living room and one door that led to the bathroom. The unit was like a closet compared to his loft and he almost got a mental itch at the thought of having to leave Gaara here. Never in his life had he actually been in a living space that small.

The size of the place was pushed out of his mind when a tiny curly haired down with an elongated body came out of nowhere and began jumping on his leg like he'd been locked up alone for his entire life.

"Who's this?" He asked as he let the dog lick hand.

"His name is Fred and he eats his own vomit", he said from in the small corner of the living room that was the kitchen. Naruto yanked his hand away and glared down at the dog below him wagging his tail happily.

"Now you tell me?"

Gaara laughed. "The bathroom is right there", he said pointing to the door next to him. Naruto disappeared into the also small restroom and Gaara could hear the toilet water sloshing.

"Your bathroom is really clean", he said coming out of the restroom.

"If there's one thing I've learned from living with my mother, it's to keep a clean bathroom".

Naruto fell onto the couch tiredly. "Is this where you sleep?"

"Yes and I would like you to get your big-wet ass off of it, thank you", he said shooing him off the couch. "Now I'm gonna have to change the sheets!"

"Payback's a mother"

"Don't you have a comfy lavish loft to go home to?"

"It would be even more comfy if you went home with me", Naruto said in a suggestive voice.

Gaara chuckled. "Yeah, that is _so _gonna happen", he said sarcastically. "Now shoo, go home".

Naruto sighed childishly. "Fine".

Gaara got up to lock the door behind him on his way out and the older man turned around to face him. "I'll see you later, I guess", Gaara said softly letting a smile shine through.

"Yeah", he said smirking as he slapped Gaara hard on his rear. "I will". He left out and Gaara locked the door behind him. He again slid down his door and picked up his phone to call his mother. She was in for a thrill.

Outside as Naruto pulled out of the parking lot and drove off; a black sedan was parked on the road the led to the street that he drove off on.

The man inside was in his thirties and had short and sleek brown hair. He looked out of the window to see Gaara's light in his unit still on. There was an important phone call to make.

He pulled out the shiny device and pressed a few buttons on the screen. He put it up to his ear and waited for the voice on the other end to answer.

"_Hello?"_

_The voice was tired and groggy as if he'd just been asleep._

"I'm at the kid's apartment"

"_Are you sure that's where he lives?"_

"Of course I'm sure", he said. "So how do you wanna do this? I don't have time to make blank trips".

"_As long as I'm paying you, you'll make as many blank trips as I tell you. Now's not the right time"_

"Then when!"

"_Soon, I wanna give a chance to save himself"  
><em>

"What for?"

"_That way he won't suspect anything. He won't even think of it"_

"But you said he already saw you?"

"_So what?"_

"You fool; they'll know it was you who did it"

"_Oh, trust me he'll be dead before he can tell anyone else"_

The man chuckled. "You always were a twisted bastard, Minato".

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><p>Hope you loved it ~ Please review<p> 


	3. heat

Songs: Sweat - Peter Hadar, Just Friends - Amy Winehouse, Genie in a Bottle - Christina Aguilera,

O my goodness. That was the longest chapter that I can ever remember doing. I was so unhappy with the 2nd chapter that one day I just deleted big chunks of it and re-wrote all of them. So that's why it's 17000+ words long. I just posted the second chapter and I'm still not sure if it's good or not. I mean, it is really long but I have a tendency to make fics really long because of useless and pointless crap that I put in it. However, I think this chapter will be a whole lot easier to write than the last two because I have more of a grasp on the characters and the plot. It's harder than you think to write a fic when you don't know the personas of all of your main characters. Sometimes I find myself thinking about this fic and it makes me fall in love with the couple all over again. Naruto is free-spirited and masculine. Gaara is strong willed and witty. They have so many characteristics that make them perfect for each other. Anyhow, I'll at least TRY to get this one out faster than the last chapter. Guys, PLEASE tell me if you like this fic, even if you are anonymous. The input counts. Seriously, I take into consideration everything that you guys say. This writer needs feedback, that's just the type of writer I am. I can't function if I don't think anybody is reading. The one thing I'm afraid of is that I'll get discouraged and then delete the story, and I really don't want to do that. So, pretty please review and for those who have been, THANK YOU! Now I must warn you, this chapter is going to be a bit longer so, bear with me. Lassen Sie die Liebesgeshichte weiter!

* * *

><p>A hot and small apartment, Wednesday at 2:45<p>

_**Sweatin' like this feels so damn good...**_

"What the fuck to do you mean 'I didn't pay my bill'!"

Gaara screamed into the phone at the electric company's representative. He knew that screaming at the pompous man on the other line wouldn't make it any cooler in the stagnant apartment. This was one thing he didn't miss about Louisiana.

The heat was unusually intense that day and the size of the unit didn't help matters much.

He didn't pay his bill because he didn't have the money, plain and simple. But, because of a trait inherited by his mother and father, he would never admit to anyone that he couldn't take care of himself.

This happened frequently in the past few months.

His electric bill was sky high because of the company that was mandatory for those who lived in the complex. The owner of the electric company wanted to sleep with the landlord of Gaara's apartments and she declined with a knee to the groin.

This was part of the reason why the bill was so high for the residents. The other reason was that the building was insulated as if it were done by a four year old. Whatever temperature it was outside, that it was inside.

Then came the rickety air-conditioning units that jutted out of the windows and created a symphony of loud shaking, roaring and sputtering throughout the day. They were, of course, energy suckers as well.

The complex was built a short while ago but was nevertheless a large pile of junk made of bricks and wooden infrastructure.

Gaara picked the apartments because they were only thing he could pay for with the $350 his mother scraped up to send with him to college. His grades awarded him a few scholarships, but not nearly enough just to sit and go to school all four years. He had to work.

He knew more than many other children who he grew up with what it felt like to hear the dreadful stillness of your home come softly and know that it was because you didn't pay your electric bill.

"_I'm sorry sir, but we have to turn your service off"_

"Why not? You said that I had four days, it's only been TWO!"

"_There's nothing I can do. You'll just have to pay your bill"_

"Please, can you just at least give me like 5 hours to come up with the money?"

_The representative sighed momentarily. "I really shouldn't do this, but I can only give you _three_ hours, but after that I'll have to cut you're service off"._

Gaara placed a hand on his chest in relief. "Thank you, thank you so much". He hung up and slumped down in his bed/sofa. His dog jumped up on the couch and sat next to him.

He looked down at the Canine. "How the hell am I gonna come up with $300 dollars in three hours?" He slapped his hand onto his moist face as he looked over to the loudly rattling air-conditioning. It was his only source of cool air and a poor one at that.

It became a dislike of his as the days in the small unit passed.

He didn't want to take out another loan but he knew he had to or he would be hot and in the dark for another two weeks. Something he didn't want considering how much studying he had to do before his finals.

He had to get up, despite how sluggish the heat made him.

Gaara slipped into the dresser concealed in the closet next to the kitchen and pulled out a pair of faded blue jean shorts that came up to the base of his buttocks and a small blue plaid shirt that hugged his figure with the sleeves rolled up and the first button undone.

He grabbed his keys, phone and wallet from the counter and looked down at Fred lying down on his back under the vent of the air conditioning unit. He laughed at his companion's antics and walked out the door.

Just as he was about to lock the door his phone buzzed in his pocket. He nearly threw the device when he saw the name on the screen. _Naruto U._

_Shit! I can't let him find out I'm about to got take out a loan! Knowing him, he'll be trying to shove money in my face_

He decided against ignoring the call and being on his way and put the device up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, it's me"_

"Oh, hey Naruto. What's up?" He said as he walked through the parking lot of the apartment complex and onto the side walk leading to the bus stop that he'd accepted as a part of his daily life.

"_I just wanted to see if you were busy"_

Gaara gulped as he sat down on the seat at the bus stop after walking as fast as he could. He tensed at the sun's fierce rays on his bare and smooth legs. The plastic bench's heat almost burned Gaara's nearly exposed ass.

"Um, I'm just about to go take care of something. Why?"

"_Well my father just closed a big account and my mother wanted me to come over for lunch to celebrate", he said hopefully._

"Naruto?"

"_Hm?"_

"You do know that your father hates me, right?"

"_You two just got off on the wrong foot, that's all"_

"It was more like a wrong leg"

_Naruto laughed. "Come on, I'll be there to protect you", he reassured._

"Right, because that worked out _perfectly_ the last time", he said sarcastically.

"_I guess I deserved that"_

"Yep, you did"

"_I promise, I've learned my lesson this time"_

Gaara sighed as he saw the large rectangular vehicle approaching in the distance. "I don't know, Naruto", he said, uncertainty oozing from his words.

"_Please?" He said pathetically._

Gaara paused for a moment. "Fine, I'll eat lunch with your jackass father", he mumbled hesitantly.

"_Great! Because I already told my mother you were coming"_

"Naruto!"

"_What are you 'taking care of' anyway?"_

Gaara sighed as he climbed onto the bus and paid the fair. "I'm just taking out a loan". His eyes widened at his blip. _Oh, Shit! I wasn't supposed to tell him. Fuck! _

"_Why the hell are you taking out a loan?" He asked with anger in his voice._

He sucked his teeth. "The stupid electric company said they're gonna turn my lights off in three hours".

"_Did you pay your bill?"_

"...no..."

"_Why not?"_

"I'm a part-time waiter, you do the math"

"_Forget it, I'm paying it" _

"Naruto, you're not paying my electric bill"

"_Yes, I am"_

"No, you're not"

"_Yes I am"_

"Are we really gonna do this again?"

"_I'm not about to let you take out a loan"_

"Who says that you have to 'let' me do anything?" The bus pulled to a stop about a block away from the loan office. Gaara got up with the phone still to his ear and walked off of the bus and continued down the street.

"_Gaara just let me pay the fucking bill!"_

"No! I don't need your help. I'm not your little damsel in distress. I can take care of myself", he said proudly as he walked past a group of cars at a stop light. A man in an SUV pulled out his video phone to record the youth's swaying ass as he walked down the sidewalk and nearly missed the light.

_Naruto sighed. "Fine, But at least tell me where you are so I can come and get you. They want us there by 3:30"_

"I'm at the loan office down the street from my job"

"_I'm on my way", he said frustrated and hung up abruptly._

Gaara looked at the phone with an offended face. _What is with that guy? _He walked into the loan office and was greeted by a pretty young woman behind the desk. He felt the cool air on his skin.

About 20 blocks down, Naruto sped down the street gripping the steering wheel tightly. He was almost about to pull up on the curb of the loan office and was already fuming.

After knowing the red-head for merely a week, he'd become baffled at the way he could make him feel happy one moment and then make him want to punch a hole in the wall the next.

There were few people in the world that could make his emotions show like they have been in the past few days. It was frightening in a way but Gaara always made that fear fly away.

When he pulled up to the curb of the loan office, he could see Gaara get up from the seat inside through the tinted door. He almost started to salivate all over himself when the youth came outside.

His thighs and butt were exposed, thanks to the dangerously short shorts. Naruto didn't bother to open the door and Gaara got in himself in lieu if his own hypnosis.

Gaara got into the passenger seat and pulled the door down behind him. He held a sour look on his face.

Naruto looked him up and down with hungry eyes until Gaara stopped him.

"You think can stop looking at me like that?"

Naruto snapped out of his trance of dirty thoughts. "Sorry", he said turning his eyes back to the road. Silence seeped into the car for a brief moment that seemed like a month's time.

"You get approved for the loan?"

Gaara turned his head to the window. "No".

"So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know".

"..."

"..."

"Gaara this is stupid"

"I don't know what you're talking about" he said nonchalantly.

His flippancy drove Naruto over the edge and he jerked the car out of moving traffic and pulled into an ally between two office buildings. He slammed the car into park and turned to face Gaara.

"Look! I've had it with you and your fucking bullshit!"

"Oh, I'm guessing this isn't about my electric bill anymore, is it?" His voice dripped sarcasm.

"And that's another fucking thing. I've just about had it with all of this fucking sarcasm!"

"Well, guess what buddy; you don't have to deal with me anymore. NOBODY asked you to do ANY of this shit. Contrary to what your little friends think, I don't want your fucking money or your pity!"

"How many fucking times do I have to apologize!"

"You don't HAVE to do ANYTHING for me! I was fucking DANDY before you ever walked into Maude's!"

Naruto glared over at him with passion in his eyes. Gaara's chest was heaving from screaming so loudly. He could no longer contain the urge and the need that started in him ever since that night a week before.

He grabbed Gaara by his chin and crushed his mouth onto the red-head making him moan. Gaara allowed himself to be conquered as he let Naruto's tongue invade his mouth.

Naruto effortlessly grabbed Gaara by his thigh and tossed him onto his lap. He parted the red-head's legs and pulled him closer. Gaara hissed when he felt Naruto bite down on his neck.

Gaara wrapped his hands around the QB's neck as he devoured his neck. "I hate you so much". He could feel Naruto's manhood hardening below his heat.

His large hands roamed down Gaara's back and melted in Gaara's soft skin. The youth moaned louder at the sensation of his touch. Gaara reached down and grabbed the massive length beneath him.

Naruto groaned deeply as he reached down the back of Gaara's shorts. The heat rising in the car made him perspire a bit. The QB grabbed the flesh of Gaara's ass making him cry out.

Gaara slowly pulled down the older man's zipper and danced his fingers over the throbbing manhood. Naruto pulled at the top of Gaara's short shorts.

The red-head almost yelled when he felt Naruto thrust his mid-section upward, making his length grind across his warm entrance. They broke apart for a moment to look each other in their eyes.

Gaara was out of breath. "We have to stop"

"No we don't"

"Yes we do"

"No we don't"

"Just shut the fuck up!" He collapsed onto Naruto's lips again as the QB reached down and grabbed Gaara's hand. He guided it to his throbbing erection. Gaara leaned in closer and licked the larger man's earlobe, driving him mad.

Naruto pulled on Gaara's shorts so hard that he could hear a slight tear. He soon got frustrated and tossed the youth onto the back leather seats. Gaara yelped as he bounced onto the soft seat.

Naruto climbed in the back and swooped down to attack Gaara's neck again. The red-head's mouth was next to the QB's ear.

"I don't appreciate you tossing me around like this"

"What can I say? You're light"

The older man lowered his mid section as Gaara wrapped his legs around the thick waist. He could feel Naruto's hard abs closing in on him. Gaara closed his eyes as Naruto moved his lips from his neck back up to his lips.

Naruto's phone buzzed loudly in his pocket.

"FUCK!"

He yanked the device out of his pocket and looked at the screen with his eye brows knitted together in anger and sexual frustration. It was his father. His eyes widened as he held a finger to his lip at Gaara and mouthed 'It's my father'.

Gaara's face went white as he slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Hello?"

"_Hey son"_

"Hey...dad"

"_Well, where are you we're waiting for you"_

"Oh, I'm stuck in traffic, I won't be more that 30 minutes though"

"_Okay, but hurry. I'm starving and your mother insists that we wait on you"_

"Yeah, I'll see when I get there"

He hung up and let out a sigh of relief, still just inches above Gaara. "That's not good".

"What?"

"My mom must've forgotten to tell him you're coming with me, heh", he said chuckling nervously.

"WHAT!"

"It's okay, still. I promise"

"You've got a lot of promises to follow up on buddy". He pushed up on Naruto but he wouldn't budge. "Move, we have to go!"

"But, I wasn't finished yet", he said smirking.

"Naruto get off, I don't wanna make your father even angrier by making him hungry", he pushed with all his strength up at the hard body above him. Naruto chuckled at his futile attempts.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that".

"Naruto, get off!" He helplessly pounded on his tough pectorals.

"I don't know maybe I should just take you raw, right here", he leaned down and bit down on Gaara's neck again. He grabbed his smooth legs and wrapped them around his waist again.

"Get off you bastard!"

Naruto got up and laughed down at Gaara's vein about to burst out of his forehead. "Come on I was just kidding". Gaara crawled up and got back into the front seat. Naruto followed him, zipped his pants and turned the car back on.

Gaara folded his arms and turned to the window.

"Come on, you're not mad at me are you?"

"..."

"Gaara I was just kidding"

"..."

"So now you're not talking to me"

"..."

Naruto sighed and pulled out of the alley; his mind still on the previous events. His erection was barely still dying down and he saw Gaara out of the corner of his eyes pull his shorts back up back to their perky position.

He hadn't felt a rush like that in all of his life. He wanted to relive it, keep it alive, make it last.

They got onto the freeway and Naruto began to drive a little faster. Gaara grabbed the side of the car. "Slow down".

"Don't tell me how to drive"

"Don't kill me"

"I thought you weren't talking to me".

"I shouldn't be"

"I was just playing"

"Well, I'm roughly half your size and weight. It wasn't that funny to me"

"Did I scare you?"

"No"

"I scared you didn't I?"

"No! I just don't wanna be late"

"I'm sorry; I can be a little rough sometimes"

"..."

"..."

"You're still not paying my electric bill"

"Here we go again"

"I just wanted to keep that clear"

"You're not staying in a hot apartment in the middle of the summer in LA. Unless you wanna come live with me?"

"Now _that_ was funny"

"Then let me pay your electric bill"

"If I let you pay my electric bill, can we drop it?"

"By all means"

"Then you can pay my electric bill"

"Good, because I paid it while you were in the loan office"

"What the fuck!"

"I knew you wouldn't let me so I just went ahead and did it"

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"Because I'm not gonna sit by and let somebody I care about die from a heat stroke", he said winking at Gaara across the car.

"Thanks, I guess"

"Don't mention it"

"Your father's gonna hate me isn't he?"

"Of course but, I'll be there to protect you, remember?"

"Still iffy on that one", he said. "And yes, you deserved that"

"Do we need to pull over and almost have sex again?"

Gaara laughed. His smile melted into a look of complete awe as he laid eyes on the massive mansion before his eyes. He'd never seen a house that large in his entire nineteen years of living.

The landscaping was flawless among boundless trees, fountains, arcs, hills stairs and gazeboes. The actual estate was a massive Victorian property whose every ending was accentuated by curves and detailed molding.

Gaara leaned forward to get a better view of the massive estate.

"This is where you grew up!"

"Yep", Naruto said nonchalantly as he pulled into the long winding driveway leading up the rolling hills to the grand looking overhanging that concealed a beautiful Victorian doorway.

"I feel like I'm on an episode of MTV cribs"

Naruto chuckled at Gaara's dumfounded facial expression as they pulled to a stop before the large wooden and glass door. Naruto got out first and went around the sleek black vehicle to open the door for his guest.

Gaara looked below him to see the vast surrounding area from the high geological pedestal that the grand abode was located on.

Gaara got out and felt like water as then nervousness that was present when he met Naruto's friends returned in a more violent and rapid life form. The butterflies in his stomach were flying furiously.

Naruto saw his nervous expression. "Gaara, breathe. I'm right here", he said reassuringly as he put his arm around the red-head. He walked up the steps to the front door and rang the doorbell.

They waited for a few brief moments and soon, a portly woman in a black and white French maid's uniform came to the door. She took a moment to look at the screen next to the door inside the house and opened the door.

"! Welcome home", she said as she greeted him with a big hug. She took one look at Gaara from behind the back of the tall man and her eyes got as wide as saucers.

"You there, there's a penalty for solicitation on this property. I'll call the police, I swear it-", she went off on a tangent as Gaara looked desperately to Naruto to fulfill his promise.

"Emma! He isn't a prostitute, he's with me. He's a friend of mine", she looked at Gaara and then back up at Naruto. "Emma this is Gaara. Gaara this is our head house keeper, Emma".

"Oh, please forgive me!" She said giving a big and apologetic hug. "I've got this place guarded like Fort Knox", she said laughing lightheartedly. She scurried off to the other side of the magnificent entry room of the mansion.

Naruto led him further into the house. "See, I told you".

"I knew I should've changed", he said fingering the short shorts that came up to the bottom of his ass.

"You look fine", Naruto said looking behind Gaara at his rear end. "Real fine". Gaara punched him on his arm playfully.

Out of the large arched corridor, a tall woman with an ash red hair that Gaara saw at the box came gliding out of the kitchen in her apron. She gleefully greeted her son as he came through to her.

"Naru-chan!" She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and showered him with kisses. "You're home!" She held him by his biceps and smiled at him as he blushed at his mother loving antics.

She looked over to Gaara who was softly giggling at Naruto's embarrassment. She looked back to her son. "Ahem! Introduce us".

"Mom Gaara. Gaara Mom", he said quickly still trying to hide his rosy cheeks.

She shook Gaara's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Uzumaki"

"Oh, pish posh with the formalities. Call me Kushina", she said giving him a big hug. "Gaara. That's a really unique name, I like it. Gaaaaara Gaaaaaaara", she went on saying his name as she became more and more intrigued with it, leading them into the dining area.

Gaara walked in behind them to see Naruto hugging an equally tall man with intense blue eyes; the same man who complained about him to security. _I think I'm gonna puke. These people are giants._

The man's face initially contorted into one of the most disgusted faces Gaara had ever seen pointed at him or anyone else in his life. He was almost tempted to run out to the car and hide there until Naruto found him but he remembered something his mother told him.

_**Like Bandy Bandy...**_

Minato was utterly appalled by the short youth dressed in a tight shirt and a pair of tiny shorts

Kushina swooned over to her husband and placed a hand on his broad shoulder. "Minato, darling, this is Gaara; one of Naruto's friends", she looked up at him with a smiling, yet daring look. It was as if she were daring him to say the wrong thing.

Gaara walked over to shake the tall man's hand. "Hello, sir", he tried to conceal his pain as Minato nearly broke the bone structure in his considerably smaller hand.

"So, you're Gaara. We met at the game on Sunday. No hard feelings, eh?"

"None at all", he looked up at him. He clutched his throbbing hand. His cat like eyes made Minato uncomfortable. Kushina felt the tension in the room. _Shoot me four fucking times!_

"I'll be right back with the roast, everyone feel free to sit", Naruto and Minato sat down at the small, yet vividly decorated table. Gaara tapped Naruto on his shoulder.

"Where's the restroom? I wanna go wash my hands"

"Through that hallway, it's the second door on the left". He nodded and nearly ran out of the tense room. Naruto watched his rear-end swing as he departed. Minato took careful notice of this display of attraction.

"So, just what the hell were you thinking bringing that shit in here?"

Naruto gave his father a warning look. "I'm not going through this with you again, dad"

"He looks like a fuckin' hooker", he exclaimed in a whisper. "I don't want my flesh blood screwing around with that trash".

"I'm a grown ass man! I can associate myself with whomever the fuck I want"

"Now, you listen to me! You come from a long line of important men, and this is how you treat your name? My name? Our name?"

Naruto clenched his fist; bending the steel spoon in his hand. "Don't you fucking judge him. You don't know a goddamn thing about Gaara!

"The second the press sees you with that garbage, your whole career'll go to shit!"

"Dad!" He slammed his fist on the table. "I'm warning you. Stop!"

"This is your father you're talking to! I-"

Kushina slammed the roast pot on the wooden table causing both of the tall men to jump in their skins. She glared at Minato from across the table with a fierce anger still boiling from the night before.

"Minato, you can either hold your tongue in front of our guest or I can hold it for you! Now shut the hell up and keep your opinions to yourself!"

Gaara tip toed back in wiping excess moisture off of his hands as he came and sat down between Kushina and Naruto. Minato sat directly across from Gaara which everyone knew was going to be a problem.

"Oooh, the food looks delicious Kushina", he said trying to relax in the tense room.

"That's Mrs. Uzumaki to you, boy", Minato barked from across the table. Kushina and Naruto both shot him challenging glares.

"_**I **_said he can call me Kushina, thank you very much", she said to her husband matter-of-factly. Gaara's heart was already beating fast at how angry he sounded and the deepness of his demanding voice. He could see where Naruto got it from.

"And it would behoove you to call our guest by his name", she said seething at him. Minato cleared his throat to hide his scratched and slapped ego.

They all sat down and began to dig into the food prepared. Minato decided to speak up. It wasn't over just yet.

"So, Gaara".

The red head looked up from his salad at Minato with a polite face that wouldn't fool a fool. "Yes?"

_At least he got my name right._

"When exactly did you two link up? A few months ago? A year ago?"

Naruto spoke up. "Why is this relevant?"

"Well, until today we've never heard of your...um...friend until today. How do we know he isn't some freeloader who-"

"Minato!" Kushina dropped her fists on the table and glared over at her inquisitive husband. Gaara's gut wrenched at that same accusation that had grew to haunt him more and more each day that he knew the QB.

Naruto looked at Gaara's faltering mouth and decided to come to his aid. "I met him at his job, last Friday".

Minato gave the both of them a displeased look

"What is it exactly that you do for a living?"

He gulped. _Here goes nothing. _"I'm a waiter part time".

"Waiter? Where at?"

_Fuck! _"Maude's".

"Maude's! You work at Maude's! Where the waiters walk around with their asses out and the trannies strip on stage and stuff?" He exclaimed a little at the sound of Gaara's shocking response.

Kushina sighed in a frustrated fashion.

Gaara looked down briefly. "Yep, that's Maude's".

Kushina decided to speak up. "I've always found drag-queens to be quite fascinating and entertaining".

"You say you're in college. What your major?"

_He's asking all the right questions,_ he thought sarcastically. "Cosmetology".

"That's hair and make-up, right?"

Gaara felt the weight on his stomach lift a little. "Essentially".

Naruto glared at his father. "Dad..."

"What? I'm just making conversation", he claimed innocently as he took a sip of his wine. "Now, that's normally a ...woman's major, eh?"

"Minato!"

"No, its ok", Gaara defended. "Well, yes, it is traditionally a woman's major but I really like hair and make-up. And plus if I get hired, I might be able to style celebrities".

"You'll just have to doll me up one of these days", Kushina said chortling. Naruto maintained his glare on his father.

"Gaara, how old are you?"

"I'm 19"

Both Minato and Kushina almost choked on their food and wine. Minato wiped his mouth. Kushina looked a little shocked. Even she had to admit that the age gap between them was a bit steep.

"Your parents know you're fucking around with a man 7 years your senior!"

Gaara blushed deeply. "I-I..."

"Dad!"

"Minato! That's enough!" Wife and son growled at him as he looked at Gaara with an incredulous look. The red-head was still struggling for the right response to the incredibly blunt question.

"W-Well, Naruto and I haven't had sex yet. We've only known each other for about a week. But my mother does know about him".

"You live with her?"

"No, she lives in Atlanta"

"That's quite a distance for a teenager"

"Well, we all have to leave the nest sometime", Gaara said as he tried to feign humor to lighten up the foul mood in the room. Wife and son still held their embarrassed and angry looks at their husband and father.

"What does your father have to say about it?"

"Not much", he said jokingly as he looked down at the few remnants of the hors d'oeuvres on his plate. "He died when I was about 5 or 6". Kushina held her heart as she comfortingly touched Gaara on his shoulder. She then looked over at her husband.

"Now don't you just feel like an ass", she insulted seething.

Minato just took another bite of his food as he glared at him from across the table. Naruto witnessed the remarks and the questions before but the look that he gave Gaara as he turned the other way to talk to Kushina made him feel angry, protective.

The rest of the dinner went smoothly as Minato remained silent. He sat on the other side of the table silently seething at the red-headed youth as he laughed a talked with his son and wife. He began to wonder what mad them so fascinated with them.

Kushina walked them to the front of the house after Minato, without saying goodbye, went upstairs to his study to 'complentate' a few things. Gaara was nearly numb to the older man's coldness.

At the gorgeously designed double doors, Kushina smiled apologetically down at a considerably shorter Gaara. "Please excuse my husband".

"Oh, no. It's perfectly fine", he said lightheartedly. "Can't win everybody over, I guess".

"Don't make excuses for him. He was being an ass-wipe". Naruto said anger rising in his voice as he looked up the winding staircase to the direction of the study in which his father was.

"He'll come around", Kushina said as she put a hand on his shoulder. Gaara nodded and they said their goodbyes. Gaara walked down the steps and Naruto walked ahead of him to open the door for him. Kushina took notice.

There were only two people that he'd ever held the door open for; Charlotte and herself. This was a spectacle that sent a wave of excitement through her mind and soul. She couldn't have been happier as she skipped back to the living room.

Naruto started the engine and Gaara sighed deeply as he ran a hand through his red hair. He leaned slightly against the door after he put his seat belt on. Naruto looked over at his tired behavior.

"See, was that so bad?" He hoped Gaara knew that he was being facetious.

"I heard you guys talking", he said with a hint of solemnity in his voice.

Naruto looked over apologetically. "Look, I'm sorry you had to hear that. It's just that that 'family name' means a lot to him".

Gaara paused for a minute. "Naruto, do you think we're moving to fast"

"What do you mean? Of course not"

"But think about it. We've only known each other for a little over a week and I've nearly lost my virginity to you twice, I've had lunch with your parents..."

"Gaara, if I'm moving too fast, just tell me"

"I don't even know right now" he said putting a hand up to his forehead. "I guess I'm just getting used to being involved with 'the bullet' is all, I guess"

"Involved? Interesting choice of words", he said laughing.

"I assume that you have a better title for us?"

"We haven't actually had sex, so that rules out 'lovers'. We're not married, or really in a relationship". He kept his eyes on the road. "Friends?"

"Yeah, I guess", Gaara settled passively.

The car grew silent as they sped over the freeway. Their minds both held topics that that they knew they needed to talk about but were both too afraid to act on the urges to break the ice.

"So when do I get to meet your mom?"

Gaara's face went blank. "Please tell me you're joking?"

"Hey, that's not fair. I let you meet my parents".

"And what a great time I had being called a whore, trash and a prostitute by your ever so charming father", he said sarcastically.

"I said I was sorry". He sounded a bit stung.

"I know but...", Gaara paused. "My mother can be a bit..."

"A bit what?"

"Eccentric"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily but with my mom, it's like eccentric to the 10th power"

"Sounds like a special woman to me"

Gaara scoffed. "Yeah you say that on the other side of the country". Gaara looked out the window. "I don't know. Maybe one day..."

"Good enough for me".

The silence from earlier returned. After a few minute of wordlessness, Gaara sprouted an inquisitive smirk and laughed a little to himself, catching Naruto's attention.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just wondering; why do they call you 'the bullet'?"

Naruto grinned mischievously. Well, it depends on who you mean by 'they'".

"Is there a difference?"

"Well, my fans call me the bullet because I'm fast on the field; or so I've been told", he said. "But everybody else calls me 'bullet' because of my ..um..you know...", he said smirking.

Gaara face contorted into amusement. "How many women have you had sex with?"

"I lost count around 94".

Gaara's jaw fell to his lap. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah and I hit that mark about 3 years ago"

"How many men?" Gaara asked, knowing he was treading across dangerously thin ice. He'd come to find out that Naruto was bisexual by process of elimination and common sense, but he wanted to be sure.

"Two, a long time ago", he said as he stopped at a red light. He winked over at Gaara. "But that's subject to change"

"Oh, don't get excited, buddy", Gaara said folding hi arms. "You got as close as you're gonna get today".

"You'll come around", Naruto proclaimed smugly. "They always do"

"Your optimism is inspiring, really it is", Gaara said sarcastically, smiling over to the arrogantly grinning driver. "It's almost like you really believe that you're going to get me to sleep with you"

"You act like you weren't on top of me, unzipping my pants just a few hours ago".

"And what makes you think I wasn't just teasing you", he purred, turning the QB on all over again. "94 women and 2 men have blown _your_ ego up a bit too much, I see".

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Naruto accused playfully, trying to hide his ego that had just been shoved a little. 'No' wasn't something he was used to hearing from someone he wanted something from.

"I'm just giving you fair warning", Gaara stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm always up for a chase", he said slyly as he pulled to a stop in the parking lot of Gaara's apartment complex. Naruto turned off the engine but didn't get out taking Gaara by surprise.

"So, you're finally gonna let me open the door for myself, I'm guessing?"

"No, I need to tell you something".

Gaara sat up a little as alarm aroused inside of him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong its just, We've got three out of state games in a row and I wont be back for about 3 ½ weeks"

Gaara stared at him incredulously then let out a full laugh. "That's what you had to tell me? You scared me; I thought it was something bad".

"I thought you'd be concerned, is all", he said in low voice.

"Oh Dear! My knight in shining armor is leaving to fend for myself in this horrid world! What ever shall I do!" He folded his hands and cried out in high pitched voice making Naruto laugh bowlingly.

"I think I'll be fine without you for three weeks", he said unfastening his seatbelt. "When do you leave?"

"Friday night", he said looking Gaara in his eyes. "Sakura will throw a fit if I'm not ready by 11:00 when she comes to pick me up", he said reminiscing about the previous season's fiascos.

Gaara looked down at the mention of the woman who showed adamant disdain for their being friends. "Wouldn't wanna make _her_ mad..."

"I'm sorry about what she said. She's just looking out for me, is all"

"I understand", Gaara said reaching for the door handle. "She _is _your manager; it's her job to keep the wrong people out of your life".

"You're not a wrong person".

"According to her, I am"

"Well, then she can just get the fuck over it", he said flippantly as he got out of the car and walked around to hold the door open for Gaara. He smiled at his recent comment. It was feeling he'd never felt before from anyone but his mother. Safety. Security.

There was a group of men at the bottom of the stairs about to get in another heated argument. One pushed the other and soon they were on the ground hitting each other and the surrounding men tried to pull them apart.

Naruto frowned, looking over at the altercation as he walked closely behind the red-head. "I don't like you living here", he said bluntly making Gaara chuckle.

"Well, that's too bad because this is the only place I can afford to stay", he said realistically. "And no, I'm not living with you"

Gaara got to the base of the stairs and the blonde haired man walked up behind him. His eyes became glued to the gyrating mass of flesh in front of him, so much so that he almost forgot to walk up the stairs himself.

Gaara got to his front door and turned around to see Naruto coming up the stairs behind. The older man came closer, towering over him, causing him to look up at his slightly smiling.

"I guess I should thank you for taking me to meet your parents. I know that was risking a lot for you", he said as if he'd been waiting till that moment to say it, and no other time would've proven appropriate.

"Don't worry about it. I wanted them to meet you".

"Your mother's a jewel".

"Thanks". They stood there silent for a few moments and Gaara shirted in his standing position.

Gaara could feel his breath on his face as he leaned closer and closer still. He knees weakened. His and Gaara's lips met in a passionate kiss as his strong hands brought the younger boy's hips closer, a growing habit of his for an obvious reason.

The red-head moaned as he found himself pressed firmly against the door. Naruto groped his ass forcefully making him react even louder against his lips. He felt his hand travel lower to the valley of his ass once again but just couldn't make himself pull away.

Naruto's lips traveled down to his neck, to the same spot that he devoured earlier. Its tenderness mixed with Naruto's mischievous hands made him feel like he was on cloud nine.

With an effortless jolt, the QB propped the red-head up against the wall and wrapped his legs around his waist. As if by automation, Gaara wrapped his arms around Naruto's thick neck as he saw his hands support them on the door behind him.

The older man bit down on the still tender flesh on his neck and he let his hands grab Gaara forcefully from his inner thigh, inspiring him to call the QB's name again and again. Naruto used his mid-section to close any space in between them.

Gaara could Naruto's manhood pulsating near his entrance making him want to give up the chase and give himself to the older man. But he knew that wasn't an option, he just couldn't give in after all of that talk.

The door next to Gaara's opened to reveal an elderly and grinning Mrs. Patterson. Gaara's face whitened as he unlatched himself from Naruto and smiled, trying to come up with something to tell her.

"Mrs. Patterson", he said flustered. "I thought you would be at your daughter's house today". He tried desperately to straighten his clothes in front of the woman who lived enough years and could hear well enough to know what was going on.

The old woman laughed loudly. "I knew it. I just knew some fine young man was gonna come and sweep you off your feet!" She was overjoyed and as was Naruto who looked over at a beet read Gaara.

He decided to play along and wrapped his arm around Gaara's waist. "Yep Mrs. Patt'", he nicknamed her. "This is the one right here", he said kissing Gaara on his cheek.

"Oooh, this is marvelous, just marvelous!" She clasped her hands together and retreated back into her house. Gaara turned and punched Naruto in his brawny arm repeatedly in frustration.

"Why did you do that?"

Naruto restrained his hands. "What's the matter sweetheart?"

Gaara yanked himself from Naruto's clutches and hit him on his broad chest. He chuckled at the feather-like assault as Gaara huffed and grabbed his key and began to open the door.

"Come on, I was just kidding", he said pulling him back Gaara looked away from his eyes. "Are you mad at me?"

"You play too fucking much", he snapped fiercely. "No, I'm not mad at you", he said as he turned back around to fight with the rusty lock on the door to his apartment.

"Good", he said slyly. "I couldn't possibly leave with you mad at me". He slapped Gaara hard on his ass before he made his descent down the crack concrete stairs to his car.

Gaara glared at him back as he saw him get into his car below. _UGH! He is so fucking smug! I hate him! _He though zealously as his heart did acrobatics in his chest from the previous events.

He could still feel his strong and rough hands on his bare skin. It was a sensation he just couldn't shake.

_**When will we get**_

_**The time to be**_

_**Just friends...**_

* * *

><p>A table for three at a fancy Italian restaurant, about 9:00<p>

Charlotte Manassey handed her keys to the valet and slipped into the up-scale eatery and stepped to the front desk/concierge. The man at the front desk immediately recognized her and led her to the table further in the back where she was anticipated.

Victoria Emerson and James Donovan were her best friends since high school and eating lunch during the week was a habit that had come to be a big part of all three of their lives.

This meeting, however, was under a new set of circumstances; a set of circumstances that could possibly land all three of them in jail.

James Donovan was an investment broker and also gay. They were next door neighbors and she was the person who coerced him to come to serious terms with his own sexuality. It was a long and drawn out ordeal.

Victoria Emerson was an editor for a fashion magazine and Charlotte was a cheerleader for a team which Victoria was captain. Many of Charlotte's attributes had been given ad received from Victoria.

James was a tall and striking man of 27 years. His hair was a dark brown, almost appearing black and his eyes were a fierce green.

Victoria was a shorter but gorgeous woman of 26 years. Her hair was wavy and a high brown in rich color. Her eyes were a modest hazel.

Charlotte sat down at the round table and set her purse on the ledge under the table. "Hello, darlings", she said affectionately to the two people who had become like a brother and sister to her over the years.

"You're awfully late", James commented from behind the brim of a glass of Merlot. "You usually beat us here".

"I know, I got stuck behind an old woman", she said as a the waiter brought out a glass of Chardonnay and placed it in front of her. She thanked him and took a long sip.

"I swear they should take your license at 55", Victoria said as she waived down a waiter. They all ordered their entrees and continued their conversation that that they all came for.

Victoria spoke up. "So did you find out?"

Charlotte looked over at her with a sly smile. "Of course I found out. Their plane leaves Friday"

"When is he coming back?" James inquired.

"Three weeks and a few days later", the brunette said laughing to herself. It was like taking candy from a baby.

"Are you sure that's enough time?" Victoria took a sip of her wine.

"That's just the trouble. It could take a few weeks to get what I need and I can't do it while Naruto's in town", she said frustrated. "Damn". She cursed as she took a small bite of the calamari as an appetizer.

"Are you sure he won't recognize you?" James inquired again. He could see Charlotte's frustration at their constant interrogation at her plan at hand.

"You two act like I've never done this before. I'm positive, there's no way he'll know who I am", she said confidently as she tapped her black nails on the clothed table.

Victoria asked the million dollar question. "What exactly did this ...Gary do to you?"

"His name is Gaara and it's not what he did, it's what he's trying to do", she said vehemently. "He knows more than Naruto thinks he knows".

"How do you know?" James looked at her as if she were crazy. "I thought you said they just met".

"Oh, trust me, he's been scoping out Naruto for months", she sipped her wine. "Can't stand a fucking gold-digger".

"Don't tell me he's one of those", Victoria said sympathizing for Naruto. "It only makes sense, a guy as nice as Naruto".

"It makes me so mad", Charlotte gripped her fork. "He's such a good man and that ...that...that _slut_ is taking advantage of him". She couldn't stand thinking about it. She was convinced that she was a liberator.

"Well, the younger ones are always the greediest", James said speaking from experience. "Poor guy probably doesn't suspect a thing".

"It's just a damn shame what theses athletes have to put up with just to find real love. That little tramp ought to be ashamed for doing this to such a good man", Victoria said taking Charlotte's side whole-heartedly.

"How are you gonna do it?"

"I've only got two options. I can't let Naruto know I'm involved, not now. Therefore, I can try to do some digging", she said in a cold voice. "Whatever I find might make Naruto end it for himself".

"The kid's 19, he can't have _too_ much to hide", Victoria pointed out realistically. "What's your other option?"

She sighed. "I really don't want to have to do it but if I have to I'll have to end it myself", she said in a dignified voice. Neither of the socialites seemed to be shocked by her second and most probable option.

"Do you think it might get to that point?"

"Most likely", Charlotte admitted. "When his mother tried to dig up dirt on me he didn't want to believe that either. I doubt this'll be much different".

"You can use my guy again", James offered. "He never leaves a mess behind; they'll never tie you to it".

She had other plans though. "That wont be necessary this time, James, darling", she said sweetly. "I want to take this bitch out myself".

* * *

><p>Friday, late in the day around 5:00, Maude's<p>

The restaurant was forced to close early that day because of a horde of rats that were unleashed from the old abandoned clothing store from above the establishment.

After all of the queens refused to perform after seeing the army of rodents take to the floor, Angela was forced to send all of her employees home until further notice. In other words, until the queens were convinced that there wasn't a rat for miles.

Gaara had to go home in his work uniform. He kept an extra change of clothes in his locker. Unfortunately, that was where most of the rats were located and he didn't want to see a furry friend as scared as he would be.

He walked to the bus stop, bag across his upper body, in a tight shirt with his name tag a black short undergarment, a pair of fish net stockings that he dreaded wearing and a pair of low-top beat up Chuck Taylors that he found at the bottom of his bag for days quite like this.

He walked out of the building with fearfulness that he wasn't used to feeling when skimpy clothes were involved. He pulled

He suddenly became self-conscious of his exposed flesh in the leg wear he was forced to wear as that day's uniform theme. He even had to admit, he looked a bit on the burlesque side and not in a good way.

To get to the bus stop he had to walk through a street behind Maude's; a.k.a. "Hook street". It was a daily journey that he dreaded more and more. The men there were disgusting and the uniforms that Angela requested didn't make things much better.

Gaara walked along the sidewalk and a few men and some boys his age looked at him as if he were another call boy who could possibly take business from them at nay given moment.

He sat down on the bench and put his bag over his exposed thighs. He suddenly remembered something it was only 5:00. The bus wouldn't be coming for another hour and a half. There was no way he could sit there for that long.

He wanted to call Naruto to come and get him but the fact that he might be sleeping to get up that night and the fear of another 'surprise' introduction hindered him from picking up his phone and calling.

After about 15 minutes passed, he grew impatient. _It's worth a try,_ he said pulling his phone out of his bag and calling the QB.

"_Hey, Gaara"_

"Hey, um, I hate to ask you again, I know you're probably sleeping, but can you come pick me up?"

"_Aren't you at work?"_

"I was but it's like 'attack of the fucking rats' in there and Angela sent everybody home early until she can get an exterminator"

_Naruto laughed. "Where are you?"_

Gaara sighed. "'Hook street'".

"_I'm on my way"_

Gaara hung up the phone and sighed heavily against the bench. That day would be another long day, he could already predict. He'd come to learn that Naruto was never going to take him straight home.

About 10 more minutes passed.

A white town car drove past him, only it stopped briefly at the curb across the street and quickly left before anybody got out. This struck the red-head as unusually strange but this oddity was soon pushed to the back of his mind.

Another car, a dark blue car with giant rims, stopped at the curb and the window rolled down to reveal a man that Gaara really didn't want to see.

"Leave me alone, Paul", Gaara said monotonously. However, he knew a simple 'leave me alone' was to hard of a nut for this one to crack for some other worldly reason.

"Come on, baby", he said apologetically. "I didn't mean what I said the other day, really I didn't".

Gaara didn't bother to look at him. "Mm-hm. And I'm just here playing hooky from work". Gaara looked at the time on his phone and wished that the QB would hurry up and get there.

"Let me take you somewhere nice, sexy", he offered in a sweet voice. "Just you and me".

"What part of FUCK NO don't you understand?"

The taller man's temper flared from constant rejection and he decided to get out of the car to take things into his own hands. His ego couldn't take much more damage from being shut down by Gaara.

Gaara looked up at him with an amused look at first. "I sweat if you touch me..."

"What!" He was considerably taller than Gaara and by all means stronger and he yanked the younger boy by his arm from his sitting position and pulled him close to his face. His breath was vomiting inducing.

_Shit! This motherfucker's breath smells like he's being gargling toilet water!_

"I said get in the car", he grinded out in Gaara's face as he grip on his wrist tightened. Nobody seemed to notice and Gaara tried to fight him to get away. He used his free arm to try and hit the taller man as hard as he could.

"Let me go you bastard!" He kicked him as hard as he could but it was no use. He opened the car door and tried to force Gaara inside. He flailed his fists at the man's arms that bound him. He scratched Paul's face making him roar at the sensation of the sting.

The older man glared at him momentarily and then punched the red-head across his face, sending him to the ground. He grabbed Gaara by his hair and pulled him up from the ground to eye level. "I said get the fuck in the damn car bitch!"

All he could think about was the pain form his body weight being supported by his red hair in between the man's knuckles.

Gaara could hear a car pulling up and soon he felt the grip on his hair release. He looked up to see Naruto grab the man by his neck like a rag doll and slam him to the ground. He got on top of Paul and began punching him with a ferocity that made Gaara afraid.

Naruto slammed his fists into the man's face again and again until Gaara leaped up from his position against Paul's car and tried desperately to stop the QB from committing murder on that sidewalk.

"Naruto! Stop!"

The older man looked up at Gaara when he heard his frantic voice as he felt his smaller hands wrapped around his thick forearm. He pulled his fist back but chose not to send it back to the man's bloody face and got up from his crouched position on the sidewalk.

His face was covered with blood and he put his hands up in mercy. "Alright! Alright! I'll leave him alone, I swear!"

Naruto pulled Paul up by his shirt and tossed him effortlessly against his overly customized car and Paul, afraid for his life, scurried into the driver's seat and sped off, burning rubber on the ground beneath the vehicle, leaving four criss-crossing black lines behind him.

Naruto, with his fists still clenched looked over at an obviously frightened Gaara who was still clutching his sore scalp. The blonde haired man walked up to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he just roughed me up a bit", he said rubbing his cheek that was dealt a nasty blow from a hand with countless diamond rings and other unnecessary jewelry. He always hated that about Paul.

He held the door open for him and Gaara slipped in the car. Naruto looked around him before closing the door behind the red-head. There was no one around that was paying attention or wasn't used to seeing somebody get beat up.

He got into the drivers seat and he saw Gaara looking out the window and then back at him. "I'm sorry you had to do that".

"Gaara, are you kidding me? You never have to apologize for that".

"I know but I should be able to defend myself. I'm 19", he said, confessing something he never would accept about himself. He never wanted to let it show htat he could become helpless in a situation like the previous.

"It's like when I saw him hit you like that", he said looking for the right way to describe his rage. "I just lost control, all I saw was red; no pun intended".

Gaara laughed.

"I guess that's just one of my flaws".

"What is?"

"When I get close to somebody, no matter how long I've known them, I get a little too protective", he admitted with a smile.

"A little? I think you're being generous", Gaara said. "More like 'savage beast'"

"Do you even know that guy?"

"His name is Paul and yes I know him"

"Did you two used to date or something?"

"Hell no. He asked me for a blowjob in the grocery store and I said no. He has a bit of a problem with that word; I've come to find out".

Naruto burst into laughter.

"They had to call security on him after he followed me into the freezer section". Naruto laughed even harder.

His eyes, for the first time that day his eyes wandered over Gaara's body as he fingered the loops of the fishnet that covered his legs. Gaara caught him staring like he usually did.

"You know, I should stare at you all day and see how you like it", Gaara huffed with a 'wtf are you looking at' stare over at the driver.

"You're wearing fishnet! What the fuck do you expect me to do?"

"It's my work uniform"

"That only makes it sexier"

"I couldn't change because there rats all in the lockers"

"..."

"..."

"You still look hot"

"O my goodness shut up!"

"What! It was a compliment!"

"Oh ok and I guess if let you grope me then that would also be a compliment too, right?"

"Finally, you understand"

"You're a horny old geezer, you know that right?"

"Yep, one of my better qualities", he said taking a spin on one of Gaara's previously sarcastic remarks. They stopped at the red light at the intersection where as Gaara's apartments were on the street to the right and Naruto's loft was on the street to the left.

Naruto looked over at his passenger. "How comfortable are you in that?"

"It's actually not that bad, the fishnet is really not that tight but this under garment in riding up though"

"I have a few more hours until I leave to the airport, do you wanna just chill at my place?"

Gaara felt butterflies in his stomach again. "I don't know..."

"Come on, we'll just rent a bunch of crappy movies and order a pizza or something"

"Yeah, but how am I gonna get home?"

"I'll get Martin to drive you home"

"Who's Martin?"

"One of my drivers"

_Did he just say he has drivers? Fucking pinch me, no, slap me. I'm dreaming. _

"Oh...okay... I guess", he said with the smallest hint of nervousness in his voice. "I'm off tomorrow anyway".

"Perfect", he said as he pulled into the parking lot of a video store down the street from his loft. Gaara shifted in his sea as he let the reality of the situation sink in for a little while; something life hadn't allowed him to do much of lately.

"I'll be right out", Naruto said as he got out of the car. Gaara took in a deep breath as he closed the door. He saw about six or seven men and some women in the store stop him to ask him for an autograph.

In the store, a woman in a tight bustier, a mini-skirt and high heels stopped him towards the back to flirt with him. She tried to guide his eyes to her chest and all the while he tried harder and harder to evade her.

In the car, Gaara's mind was still absorbing all of the information that his mind was too busy to process lately. _Ok, self, let me get this straight. I, Gaara Sabaku for the old hick town of Bienville, Louisiana, am sitting in Naruto Uzumaki's LAMBORGHINI._

_Now let's not get it twisted, this is THE NARUTO UZUMAKI, one of the most famous men in sports history who is also SEVEN years older than me.. _

_I've met his parents, manger, and friends, been in a box seat at one of his games and almost had SEX with him on several occasion in the past week, which is essentially how long I've known him. _

_And now, I'm going to his LOFT, something I've only seen in magazines, in my slutty work clothes to watch movies until he leaves for his plane._

Gaara massaged his temples. It was almost too much to accept. Never in his days of daydreaming in hid bedroom as a younger teenager that any of this would ever happen to him.

Sure, he wished for some handsome man to come along and sweep him off his feet, even before he moved to those wretched apartments and met Mrs. Patterson.

_Flashback_

_The Louisiana sun was scorching hot on that summer day in June. _

_The house was a small quaint house in Bienville, a small town with a daintily small population. _

_Gaara, at only 16 sat on his bed towards the back of the house. The window was open after his mother forgot to pay the electric bill. _

_The breeze was generous on that day after school had ended a few days prior. _

_He laid on his stomach looking out the window at the blue sky above him as well as the small neighborhood of houses that were built years ago. _

_He could hear his mother talking to his aunt in the kitchen as she sat down on the bench that she loved so much._

_He dreamt. Oh how he dreamt._

_He always wished for a strong man to swing into this window and whisk him away from that stagnant town. _

**I feel like I've been locked up tight for a century of loneliness**

**Waiting for someone, to release me...**

_The wind blew through his short red hair as he let the breeze run over his naked body against the hot sheets. _

_He learned fast that nudity was the best way to beat the heat of summer in the south._

_The man across the grass in the house colored a bright blue stared with a dumbfounded expression before his wife yanked him away. _

_The entire town knew that Karura and her son were peculiar, and not in a good way. _

_Like water through a channel in the earth, the wind blew through the dip of his spine making him smile._

_The man's son watched form the upstairs window. His name escaped Gaara from time to time due to his quietness but he was almost sure that it was Joe _

_He was already 18. He was nearly drooling._

_At only 16 Gaara had a very mature body and the boy upstairs took notice. He looked up at the boy staring down at him and smiled up at him._

_He became comfortable with his body at an early age due to his mother's method of teaching._

**Oh, my body's saying 'let's go'**

**But my heart is saying 'no'**

_Joe grabbed his length that hardened at the sight of Gaara's milky yet tinted skin, his curvy form, the curl of his cat-like eyes and his flirtations smile._

_Gaara's heart jumped when he saw the older boy lick his lips._

_The red-head simply closed the curtains leaving behind the want of his body with Joe. He got up and found a small t-shirt and a pair of shorts on the floor._

_He got up in his clothed form and went to the very back of the house to lay down on the swing under the porch. _

_It was a wooden contraption that he and his mother put together a few summers before and surprisingly had not broken yet._

_He looked back to Joe looking left and right for him. He sighed as he looked back to the sky._

_This was game that they played almost every day like this. Gaara soon grew tired of teasing a horny 18 year old next door that was too afraid of his father to act on anything._

_He always wanted something real, something that a silky curtain couldn't separate. _

_The violets in the garden next to the swing danced in the wind._

He looked out of the window wistfully as that silly memory fell back into his mind.

He was interrupted by Naruto getting back into the car with a few movies in a synthetic bag and turning the car back on. He huffed audibly thinking about how much he hated being reminded about his fame and status in society.

"Damn! I can't even get a few fucking movies without getting trampled".

"Another one of your 'fans'?"

"Yeah", he said as the anger wore off a bit.

"You act like you haven't been famous before you met me", Gaara pointed out.

"Well, yeah", he admitted. "Because before I met you, I would've ditched the movie and brought some ass home instead", he said laughing to himself.

Gaara chuckled but decided not to comment on it. "What did you get?" He picked up the bag and pulled out its contents.

"Unbreakable" "Hannibal Rising" and "Training Day"

"Seen any of those?"

"Nope, but Samuel L. Jackson, Gaspard Uliel, and Denzel Washington are all beastly actors, so I'm good", he commented making Naruto laugh.

They pulled onto the property of the lofts in which Naruto lived. Gaara looked up to see the tall building in front of them. "How tall is this thing?"

"50 stories, not really that high", he said nonchalantly.

Naruto drove up into the spiraling strip of concrete that led up to the fourth floor in the parking garage. The red-head could see plenty of cars that had come from various countries in the world.

Naruto drove past the many luxurious vehicles on the fourth floor and pulled to a stop in the spot that had 'UZUMAKI' frame-spray painted on the ground in between the yellow lines.

He looked down at his attire once again and back at Naruto. "Are you sure you wanna bring me in there like this?"

"Like what?"

"Uh HELLO! My ass is completely visible in this thing".

"I'm fine with that", he said smirking.

"Yes, I'm aware. But it's your neighbors that I'm worried about"

"You said it was your uniform, how is that your fault?"

"It isn't my fault but, what if your manager sees me like this?"

"Gaara, I already told you. When it comes to you, my manager's prissy 1st class/3rd class opinions don't mean shit to me", he said reassuringly.

Gaara smiled. "That's good to know", he said chuckling a little.

Naruto went around the car to open the door but Gaara opened it himself. "Honestly, you can take break with the whole gentleman thing". Naruto threw his hands up in relent.

"Fine, suit yourself".

Gaara got out with caution. He looked both directions to see a few people walking in and out of the garage. Naruto naturally let Gaara walk in front of him. The red-head walked to the elevator as Naruto got the view.

The younger boy's ass was fully visible through the fishnet material making Naruto's min go into filthy places. _Get a hold of yourself, man._

He scolded himself as he walked up closer behind Gaara. He pressed the arrow pointing up on the panel. And after a few moments the elevator doors parted to reveal an older woman who blatantly gawked at Gaara.

She scoffed as she walked passed them and turned back to give Gaara a nasty sneer. Gaara looked away and combed the hair on the back of his head with his hands. Naruto had already identified this as a mechanism of his, like a shield.

"Bitch...", the QB mumbled audibly making Gaara laugh a little.

The elevator doors closed behind them and the two of them stood next to each other. However Gaara was standing a bit closer to the door giving him a clear view of Gaara's ass. He leaned back and bit his lips at the sight of the exposed flesh.

Gaara sighed. "I don't know which one I like less staring at me; a mean old lady or some big drooling meat-head", Gaara said turning around and giving Naruto a dirty glare. He put a hand on his hip.

"Feisty", Naruto flinted his brows coquettishly.

"Is that all you think about when you're with me?"

"Sex?"

"No, gas prices", he said sarcastically. "Yes! I'm talking about sex!"

"I think about it often, but isn't all I think about"

"Judging by the way you stare at my ass, I beg to differ"

"What can I say, you have nice ass"

"I'm guessing that's another one of your 'compliments'?"

"Yes an I believe a 'thank you' is in order"

"Thank you so much for staring at my ass like it's a piece of meat", he said smiling. "And by the way I actually like wearing Maude's slutty uniforms", he said sarcastically.

"Doesn't it feel good to tell the truth?"

Gaara punched Naruto in his arm as the elevator door opened to reveal a not-so-happy Henry Weimer holding a briefcase. He took one look at Gaara as they got out of the elevator and his face twisted into a face of disgust.

Naruto decided to play with him. "What's up, neighbor?" He patted the portly older man on his back with a loud clap making him yelp. Gaara stood closer the door of Naruto's loft and laughed a little behind his hand.

The man gave Naruto a grim look as the elevator doors separated them. Naruto chuckled as he led Gaara to the door of his loft.

"The guy hates my guts".

"You say that like it's a good thing"

"He didn't like you that much either", he said as he unlocked the many locks to he door. "You looked like you were more offended by that old lady, to me"

"I guess I value the opinion of women over men for some reason..." he trailed off as the QB opened the door to reveal his expansive living area.

He walked in and tossed his keys onto the glass bowl next to the door. The place was decorated with various types of modern furniture and still hade a hint of history in it. Gaara gaped at the size compared to his own unit.

"This place is huge!"

"Eh, it's not that big", Naruto said with heightened flippancy. Put his bag down on the bar stool outside of the kitchen as he continued to take in the beauty of the place. The windows were all glass giving a perfect view of the city.

"This must cost you a fortune"

"Its only $9000 a month"

"Are you fucking kidding me! That's nearly...", he stopped to calculate in his head. "14 times my rent and utilities put together!"

Naruto laughed at Gaara's incredulous voice.

* * *

><p>Outside of the lofts in the parking lot around the block<p>

A white town car pulled to a stop in the busy parking lot as it started to get a bit darker outside.

The sun was still bright enough to make one sweat.

Charlotte pulled out her phone and put it up to her ear after touch a few things on the screen. This was a call that the person on the other end would be waiting for. She tapped her foot near the accelerator in anticipation.

She looked up at the tall building of lofts in front of her and her hand began to sweat in frustration. Somehow between her two friends she felt like since Victoria was a girl she could act as a confidant far better that James ever could.

"_Hello"_

"I'm outside"

"_Did he go up already?"_

"Yeah, he went up just now"

"_Was that tramp with him?"_

She sighed. "Of course. You should've seen what he was wearing"

"_Ugh! He knows exactly what he's doing. What a sneaky little snake", she seethed._

"I know, he thinks he's won already"

"_When is coming out?"_

"After Naruto leaves with Sakura for his plane"

"_How's he going to get home?"_

"Naruto's going to take a cab and let Martin drive him home. I'll act as soon as he pulls away"

"_You're not going to do it today, are you? It's far too soon"_

"I'm just going to scare him a little, is all", she said smirking.

"_How will he suspect that it's because of Naruto?"_

"Think about it, Victoria. His life has been days, week, months, and years of stagnancy. If he's as crafty as I know he is, he'll be able to connect the dots"

"_But he doesn't know you?"_

"One word", she said. "Minato"

"_Right! Naruto's father hates him. He'll automatically think it's the old man's doing"_

"Besides, if that doesn't scare him off, I've got something on him that'll make Naruto want nothing to do with him"

"_Perfect"_

"I'm just a few bullets away from having my life back, darling"

* * *

><p>A pool house in the back of modest estate<p>

The sun was going down and the moon was putting on her dress of the night and preparing to perform in the dark of the night.

The estate closer to that of Naruto's parents was occupied by Sakura Haruno, and it had been since she was granted it by her father. She loved the place with all of her heart. It was home to her that she could return to at the end of a long and arduous day.

The back of the house was adorned by a beautiful pool sculptured by stones and rocks. There was a waterfall sending streams of the liquid down the contours of the geological masterpieces, imitation a real waterfall.

Sasuke and she occupied the mini-house near the other side of the pool.

Sasuke was perched in the large chair in front of the view of her lavish estate seen through the window, smoking a Cuban cigar. Sakura sat behind the bar with a short glass of ice and rum.

"You remember when all three of us would get drunk before we went out of state", Sasuke said taking a puff.

"That was only last season", Sakura poured herself more rum.

"Correction, that was only before he met that slut", he took another puff. "Gary, Gavin, something with a 'G'"

"Gaara?"

"Yeah, that's it. He's with _Gaara_ for one fucking week and forgets who his real fucking friends are"

Sakura sighed and shifted in the bar stool she sat on. "Just like that".

"I mean we've stood by that guy since we were fucking kids and one look at some pretty young thing and he fucking sweeps us under the rug".

"...'

"Do you see him at dinner that night? He never talked to us like that over some bitch"

"Well you were kind of harsh on him, I mean all he wanted to do was meet us"

"So you're taking his side too?"

"I'm not taking anybody's side. I'm just saying, the kid wasn't all that bad"

"He was a fucking gold-digger if I ever saw one!"

"We don't know that"

Sasuke got up from his sitting position and propped himself on the counter in her face. "All the times we've saved that motherfucker form getting conned by some bitch, and you all of the sudden think we're wrong"

"It's possible"

"The hell it is!"

"Sasuke think about it. This kid is barely 19 years old. He's lived a small hick town all of his life then he's thrown into a city like LA, by himself with his only living parent on the other side of the country and forced to fend for himself. Cut the kid some slack"

"I'm not buying it"

"You're just pissed off because you don't have your wingman anymore", Sakura pointed out. "You know it and I know it"

"Fuck that! I'm trying to stop a good guy from getting hurt again", Sasuke admitted passionately. "And unlike you I'm not going fall under _Gaara's _little spell"

"Honestly, what proof do you have that he wants Naruto's money?"

"Look at what he was wearing; he had the guy drooling on their way in"

"If you want some REAL gold-diggers, try your little groupies who came over to get a 'boob-graph'"

"At least neither of them asked to date us!"

Sakura threw her hands up. "Look, I get it you're still pissed that Naruto's bisexual. Believe me I understand"

"Don't you even say that shit to me! I love that guy like fucking brother, whoever he wants to fuck!"

"I'm sorry, that was out of line", she apologized. "But this is the first time I've seen him really happy since Charlotte".

"..."

"I mean you should hear him on the phone, it like he's a new person", she said with stars in her eyes. "And all he can talk about is Gaara, Gaara and more Gaara"

"..."

"I don't know about you but _I _know that Naruto doesn't let just anybody in. And if this Gaara is truly special to him, who the hell are we to take that away from him?"

Sasuke looked away. Even he had to admit. He saw Naruto's performance dramatically perk up in the last week, although he didn't want to admit to falsely accusing the younger boy.

"I need to go call Jiraiya really quick, I'll be right back", she said as she exited the pool house, leaving the disgruntled LM to think to himself.

* * *

><p>A cozy living room in front of a big TV screen, 10:30<p>

Gaara's Chuck Taylors were greatly worn by the task of walking everywhere. They were discarded to the side of the leather sofa.

The sky was completely dark and the windows conveyed the portrait of the city lights outside as the people in cars and on foot were making the streets alive that night.

Naruto was stretched out against the arm of the long sofa. One arm rested on the arm rest and the other was behind the red-head's neck on the top of the old piece of furniture.

Gaara's legs were crossed as he leaned softly against the larger man. His hands were clutched around each other in his lap as Naruto laughed as Hannibal Lector' rope around the man's neck grew tighter and tighter.

"His eyes are about to pop out of his head", the QB said amusingly.

Gaara buried his face in Naruto's tank top as the man's head rolled onto the ground, catching Naruto off guard. His skin marveled at the feeling of his smaller hands on his pecs.

"Can we put in "Unbreakable" before I permanently lose my appetite?" Gaara said into Naruto's chest and slowly looked back at the screen to see Hannibal Lector eating the man's cheeks.

Naruto got up and put in the Samuel L. Jackson flic, leaving Gaara to support himself on the sofa until he got back. He came back with a slice of pizza and swallowed it whole in one bite before washing it down with some Ginger Ale.

"That's disgusting", Gaara said giving him an odd look.

"So I've been told", he said wiping his mouth.

Gaara looked and saw a drop of sauce still on his bottom lip. He leaned in a wiped it off with a napkin as his hand rested dangerously close to his crotch. Naruto cold feel his length growing when Gaara leaned away.

They looked into each other's eyes. The living room was dimly lit by the light turned down above them. The movie started and neither of them were paying attention.

Gaara looked away and scooted a little farther away. The first 20 minute of the movie were occupied for the wearing off of the awkwardness. Gaara decided to break the silence.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah"

"Why does Samuel L. Jackson curse so much?"

"I guess he just doesn't like weak people"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing"

"..."

"..."

"Sakura's gonna be here any minute. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"I'm already packed and shit, what are you my mother?"

"I was just trying to help, jackass"

"I'm a grown ass man, I don't need any help"

"What the hell! All you had to say was 'I'm already packed' and I would've dropped it"

"And _you_ didn't have to say anything"

"Ugh! You know what I'll be glad when you fucking leave. I could use a break"

"So some other creep can stuff you into his car, I think not"

"I could've handled that myself!"

"Oh spare me Gaara; you were completely at his mercy"

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Just admit it; you're a little weak in the defense department. But hey, there's always pepper spray"

"Gaaaa! You're so fucking arrogant, it's sickening!"

"You don't seem to mind"

"Oh, yes, I do mind. I mind getting ugly looks from all your 'fans', I mind getting called every synonym for 'whore' in the fucking English language by your friends, I mind getting interrogated like I'm a fucking criminal by your father. Yes! I do fucking mind!"

"If you mind so fucking much then why do agree to go everywhere with me!"

Gaara grit his teeth. He didn't know the answer to that question and he didn't want to admit to him the reason that could possibly be it. He felt like he just couldn't let himself go. He couldn't let it show.

"I fucking hate you so damn much", he seethed.

Naruto effortlessly tossed him onto his lap and burglarized his lips in a fiery kiss. Gaara wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck as he let their relationship's extreme dynamic contrast take its toll on his body.

The QB ran his hands over the fishnet material that covered his legs and made his way up to Gaara's ass. The touch made him moan into the kiss.

Gaara ran his hands down his broad chest as he felt Naruto's length hardening underneath him neat his heat. The QB parted his legs even wider as he brought his smaller form closer.

The red-head wanted to melt as he let himself be handled by those strong hands.

Naruto threw him down on his back on the other side of the warm leather sofa. Gaara bounced as his back hit the soft surface. Naruto swooped down like a wild animal after his prey and commenced biting down on that same tender and sweet spot on his neck.

Gaara whispered in his ear. "We have to stop"

"Don't you wanna give me a little something before I leave?"

"Don't you want something to come back to?" Gaara's cat-like eyes smiled coyly.

The fire in Naruto flared making him yank that wretched fishnet off leaving his legs bare and smooth. Gaara went mad ant the feeling of those strong hands on his bare skin. He moaned the QB's name softly.

Just when they were about to delve into each other they heard an unlocking of the door. Gaara leaped up hitting Naruto on his nose in the process.

"Ow! Fuck!"

"Sorry!"

Sakura walked in the door to see Gaara in a small black silky under garment that came over his thighs and ass, and a tight shirt as he struggled to get out from under her client who clutching his nose.

She giggled a little. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes", Naruto answered grumpily. "I was about to hit that"

Gaara's face reddened. "Hi, Sakura", he tried to be polite even though he knew she didn't like him.

"If you wanna 'hit' anything, you better do it when you get back. Get your stuff the plane leaves in an hour", she barked as Naruto grumbled off to the bedroom to retrieve his bags.

"And I assume you're the reason why we're taking a cab and Martin's not driving us"

Gaara smiled sheepishly. "Guilty". He bent over to pick up the fabric that Naruto had discarded across the floor in with embarrassment surrounding his every move. He tried not to look her in the eyes.

Sakura's vision was glued on his skimpy clothing. "You really have an interesting taste in clothing", she commented looking at his bare flesh.

"Oh, no, I have to wear this. Today was "Fishnet day" at my job"

"So it's like a uniform"

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that"

"You couldn't change after work?"

"Rats have claimed the place temporarily, the changing room included. Angela let us go home early today"

"So now you're here"

"Yep"

"..."

Naruto came out of his room with a big duffle bag about as big as he was. Sakura turned on he heels away from Gaara despite her previous vow to be nicer to him to Sasuke earlier.

"Alright, let's get out of here. The airport isn't close, you know"

The three of them walked down the hallway to the elevator and stood silently together. Sakura could see Naruto drooling over Gaara's half naked form. She looked up at him with a disdainful glare.

He bit his lips at Gaara's exposed rear end. _Damn, so close._

"Naruto!"

"What?"

"Could you not stare at the boy like that? It's making me uncomfortable"

"There's a big round ass in front of me. How the hell can you expect me not to stare?"

"Look at something else!"

Gaara looked to his peripheral vision to see Sakura monitoring Naruto's eyes like a mother scolding her child. He put his hand to his face to hide his silent chuckles. The two of them were a spectacle.

The elevator door opened and the taxi cab and Martin in the black town car were both waiting in the guest parking spaces.

Gaara walked ahead of the both of them and Naruto go a view of Gaara's bare ass in that tight silky undergarment. The mass of flesh jiggled as he advanced towards the town car.

Naruto looked over to Sakura. "You see, I was about to _own_ that. But you just had to walk in"

"Oh, you didn't know? My mission in life is to prevent your from getting laid", she said facetiously.

Gaara stood between the two vehicles as Sakura got into the back seat. Naruto stuffed his giant duffle bag into the trunk and looked over at Gaara as he was about to get into the town car.

"Naruto! Let's go!"

"Wait", he said flatly as he walked behind Gaara as he was about to get in. He wrapped his strong arms around the student's waist as he looked down into those sea-foam green eyes.

"I'll call you when I land"

Gaara melted in his arms. "O-okay"

Naruto collided their lips together in a sloppy yet passionate kiss that sent Gaara's soul to the skies. He moaned as he felt Naruto's hands explore the valleys of his ass and the small of his back.

His knees went weak when he felt Naruto's tongue invade his mouth.

Sakura was about to yell at Naruto again but couldn't get her words out at he the sight of her client and best friend kissing the youth. She'd never seen him kiss anyone like that before.

Gaara gave him free access as Naruto groped his rear end softly as he pressed him lightly against the black car. Sakura put a hand to her mouth when they parted lips. She'd never seen such raw affection.

Gaara smiled sweetly up at him when Naruto opened the door for him, slapping him hard on the ass before closing the door behind him.

Martin pulled out of the parking garage, still flustered from the sight from his rear view mirror. Gaara put a hand to his lips and closed his eyes. Never, did he want to lose the sensation of those lips against his.

Sakura stared at him with an astonished face as the taxi driver pulled out of the parking garage as well.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Three week away from _that_. I had to get as much as I could before I left or I might've just died", he said honestly making Sakura and the taxi cab driver burst into laughter.

* * *

><p>An apartment complex on the other side of the city<p>

The black town car pulled up into the parking lot of the rugged apartments.

Gaara slid up on the seat to give Martin a 20 for his troubles.

"Thank you", he said in a genuine tone.

Gaara kissed the older man on his cheek. "Thanks for the ride, Martin", he said as the driver blushed.

Gaara got out of the car and began his journey across the big parking lot to his home.

He could see the vehicle drive away and he dropped his phone on the ground. Stopping to pick up the device he saw minor scratches on its black shiny finish. _I swear this thing isn't gonna last, as mush as I drop._

He got to the area of the parking lot where few cars were parked. It was an odd night because no one was outside fighting or smoking like any normal evening. He suddenly already missed Naruto's presence to walk him up to his unit.

He heard a gun cock, the changing of the chamber echoed through the night air. Gaara stopped dead in his tracks, afraid to make any sudden moves.

Seconds later a shot fired and the bullet ricochet into the light pole nearly inches from his foot. Another sot fired, getting even closer, he could feel the rocks being pelted by the bullets hit his bare legs.

He could hear bullets zooming past his hair.

He picked up speed and being running frantically to the stairs that led up to his unit.

Bullets came again and again until one of the last bullets grazed the side of his hip ripping the under garment. _Who the hell is shooting at me!_

Luckily he couldn't feel any blood or pain in the area and he made it up the stairs. He fumbled with the stubborn lock and fled into his safe home, locking the door quickly behind him. His heart was beating so hard that he could feel the pressure against his head.

He ran and grabbed Fred and hid in the bathroom tub. He had no idea who it was; all he knew was that he wanted to be next to Naruto. It was there where he felt safer than any other place.

He let the fright induced tears fall down his face as he held tightly on to his furry companion in the palm of that white paint chipped bathtub.

Across the street, Charlotte took the pistol and blew away the smoke flowing from the end. She pulled out a cigarette and lit the small item. Taking a puff she stared out into the night sky.

She felt like she was getting somewhere. Closer.

_Believe me baby..._

_It's only getting started._


	4. crave

Songs: Chaka Khan - Whatcha Gonna Do for Me, Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own, Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love for You, Beyonce - Déjà vu, Patti LaBelle - If Only You Knew, Beyonce - Me, Myself and I

Sorry about the late update everyone, you won't believe how much has been going on lately. But recently I've learned one of the most valuable lessons I've learned thus far; love yourself and only then can you love others. I'd like to thank you guys for all of the reviews, the love and most importantly the support. It's refreshing to know that somebody supports this fic and that I'm actually being heard. The last chapter turned out a little less controversial as I intended it to be but this chapter should clear all of that up. I have to admit that I've been sugar coding the shit out of this story as far as the NFL and its treatment of gay and bisexual men. I really need to get better with that because it is my mission to be real. I must be real or I'll be a hypocrite, and a big one at that. **If there are ANY people listening that are being told that something is wrong with you, you're an abomination, you're a freak, queer, fag, dyke etc. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. You are beautiful, you are a PHENOMENAL person inside and out and don't you let anybody tell you otherwise. Don't let anybody tell you that you're not an amazing person. If you think that nobody loves you, you're wrong. I love you, with all the love that I harbor in me. Ending your life is not the answer. Whether you think so or not, you WILL be missed. You are golden. It's ok to be who you are. It's perfectly fine to love yourself whether you're lesbian, gay, bi or transgender. IT GETS BETTER. If you're wondering why I'm saying this; it's because I'm sick of all the hate and prejudice surrounding us and if I can do anything to stop at least some of it, in the name of every word of passion I can muster, I'll do it. Your life is precious like emeralds, emeralds untouched by the harshness of the world **~

* * *

><p>A comfy apartment unit on a rainy day, Monday, about 5:00, beginning of week One<p>

The rain pattered on the window that provided a glance into the dimly lit apartment unit.

The time was a tired one.

Gaara collapsed his faulty umbrella and fought to turn the rusty lock before pushing in the stubborn door. He threw the wet and sorry protection from the rain onto the floor next to the door and did the same with his bag next to the sofa/bed.

Fred ran from his warm cotton bed on the floor to greet his owner.

As Gaara went to the closet he stripped out of his clothes and into a pair of shorts and a small t-shirt. He sighed heavily as he felt the relief of not having to think about anything outside that tiny unit.

He reached into the sagging cabinet and pulled out a bag of popcorn. Fred's tongue hung from his mouth. Gaara reached up to grab a bowl from the top shelf only to have it fall on his head and bounce off of his neck. He winced at its contact.

The soreness of that one spot on his neck opened the floodgates for a mass flow of memories and emotions to enter him again. All the flesh that had been victim to his touch lit up as would a candle after being kindled by a flame.

As the popping of the popcorn in the microwave complimented the rain seeping through the ceiling and falling into the bucket below, Gaara found himself missing the blonde haired man whose touch he just couldn't shake.

After he removed the smoking bag from the microwave and sat down on the sofa/bed with a soda, Fred jumped up onto the spread and Gaara tossed him a few kernels just to abide by their usual popcorn routine.

Looking to drown out conflicting thoughts of the QB he turned on the analog television that he found on the side of the road. Its screen sputtered for a few brief moments and soon the picture became clear.

Gaara flipped through the channels in foreign languages and nearly choked on the food in his mouth. He then realized that it was pointless to try and escape Naruto, his blue eyes were inevitable.

On the TV screen were highlights from the previous night's game. Naruto was seen running across the field at break-neck speed, living up to the name that his fans and sports reporters dubbed him in the past and present.

Gaara's vision droned onto him as the two men in headsets bragged on the QB.

"_Uzumaki is, needless to say, at the top of his game; and according to last night, on top of everybody else's game too!"_

"_I agree. His stats speak for him. He's the best in the league"_

Gaara sighed at the thought. He couldn't believe it all. He flipped the channel and sure enough, another station was dedicated to his talents. Gaara grumbled to himself and looked down to Fred.

"You see? They dedicate every fucking channel to him for tossing a leather ball across a turf field"

The dog cocked his head up at his incredulous owner. Gaara shrugged it off and flipped to another channel that was dedicated to Naruto but for a reason that made him fear for his life.

A woman stood in front of her news desk with her blonde hair pinned back.

"_In the latest scoop, Naruto Uzumaki has stated that he is in fact seeing someone. The question is; who is it? Who ever this mysterious woman is, she must be a bombshell to capture the eyes of one of the most powerful men in the country"_

_A picture of Naruto entering the Spanish restaurant appeared on the screen as the reporter continued to talk. The only indicator that he was with someone else was a red blur in front of his arm._

Gaara scurried to the front of the sofa/bed to get a better glimpse of the photo on screen. Sure enough, it was him. His stomach churned. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!_

He placed a worrying hand on his forehead. _This isn't happening! His manager's gonna kill him and then she's gonna come for me. I've ruined his career! Ruined it!_

The distressed red-head got up and began pacing the floor of his small unit. There was something that had to be done. There must have been. _Shit! Should I call him? _He looked down at his phone.

"No! I can't call him! What if he doesn't know? He'll be furious!" He exclaimed to himself making Fred give him a 'this mother fucker is crazy' look.

He snapped at the birth of an idea. "I'll call mama; she'll know what to do!"

He snatched his phone up and pressed a few spaces on the screen and put it up to his ear. Waiting for the other end to be answered he sat down on the sofa/bed to avoid disturbing his downstairs neighbors with his anxious pacing.

"_Hello?"_

"Mamaaaa!"

"_Well, hello to you too Gaarbie-chan", she said chuckling._

"No, this is no laughing matter. I'm in trouble, I don't know what to do, I need help, what do I do? What do I do?"

"_Darling, slow down, take a deeeeeeep breath", she said soothingly. _

Gaara inhaled and then exhaled at length. "Ok"

"_Now what's wrong?"_

"You remember that Naruto guy?"

"_How could I forget? You talk about him practically everytime you call me"_

"I do not"

"_Oh please, 'Mama he's so sweet' and 'Mama I really like him' and 'Mama we almost had sex'", she mocked him laughing._

"ANYWAY, the paparazzi sort of caught us walking together into this fancy-schmancy Spanish restaurant"

"_What's so bad about that? It's not like he had his arm around you or something..."_

"Well..."

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"_

Gaara yanked the device from his ear to prevent hearing loss. "Yeah, I told you I was in trouble"

"_Did they get a good shot of you!"_

"Fortunately not a good one; all they saw was a blur of my hair, but still. His manger knows it was me and I'm already on her bad side. It's her job to protect him from things like this"

"_Ok, ok. First of all, let's not panic"_

"You're the one panicking!"

"_I know but this is so big. I mean, you were photographed in a romantic position with one of the most powerful men in the country"_

"Thank you dearly for pointing that out mother", he complimented sarcastically.

"_Well, we have to address the situation first"_

"Ok, we've addressed it. So what should I do?"

"_Call him"_

"What good would that do?"

"_After growing up in my house, you of all people should know that talking about it is the best solution"_

Gaara sighed. "I guess you're right". He shifted in his sitting position as Naruto came up on the TV screen again as the football highlights dictated yet another channel.

"But what should I say? 'Hey, we've been caught'?"

"_Just tell him that you'll comply with anything that his manager sees fit for his image, and just tell him how you feel"_

"What if she doesn't want us to see each other anymore?"

_Karura sighed. "I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that one baby, but I know you'll do the right thing"_

"Thanks"

"_Anytime"_

They hung up and Gaara did numerous double-takes to the TV screen and the screen of his phone. _Here goes nothing._

He pressed Naruto's name on the screen of his phone and put it up to his ear nervously. Each dial tone hit him like a tone of bricks.

"_I'm guessing you saw the photo"_

"How did you know?" Gaara felt a wave of relief come over him.

"_Trust me, every picture of me with a 'mysterious lover' gets run by Sakura before it gets too viral"_

"Wait, let me get this straight. You took me to all these places and you knew the paparazzi were watching"

"_Yep"_

"But what about the whole 'holding the door open' 'gentleman' crap?"

"_No offense but from the distance that security keeps paparazzi at, you can easily pass for a woman"_

"Gee, thanks"

_Naruto chuckled._

"But what about the rain and the kiss and the stuffing me into your car and you driving up to my apartment?"

"_In the neighborhood you live in? They don't want the story that bad"_

"Again thanks", Gaara said sarcastically.

"_Sorry, it's just that you're so easy to keep a secret"_

"You say that like it's a good thing"

"_Gaara, I don't know how to put this to you but...I'm not ready to tell he public that I'm bisexual. And quite frankly, my fans aren't ready to find out"_

Gaara swallowed the response he initially wanted to give the QB. "I-I'm fine with that"

"_Are you sure?"_

"Yeah, I mean you have a lot to risk and if I wanna be with you I have to accept that"

"_But that's the golden question"_

"What is?"

"_Do you really wanna be with me?"_

Gaara paused for a moment. _That's a good fucking question. _"I don't know, Naruto"

"_..."_

"I mean, cut me a little slack. I'm still getting used to the fact that you even took a second glance at me that night"

"_Well, I did and I know it's a lot to handle being a 'secret' behind a pro-football player. But I'm here"_

Gaara smiled. "That's good to know"

_Naruto paused for a minute. "I miss you"_

"I miss you too"

"_I was thinking about flying you out to me, if you want me to"_

"You can't wait three weeks without me? I'm flattered"

"_After three failed attempts to nail you still stuck in my head? Hell no"_

Gaara laughed loudly.

"_I'm serious. I've been mad as fuck this whole time. Sexual frustration's beneficial on the field but a pain in the ass to sleep with"_

"I'm sorry"

"_You should be. If it wasn't for Sakura barging in and you holding out, I'd be much happier man"_

"I'm watching the recap of the game and it didn't look like your game suffered much"

"_Yeah, thanks to you"_

"I promise, I'll make it up to you when you get back", he purred seductively.

"_You're making it worse"_

"Fine, I'll stop", he said softly. "Daddy"

"_I'm serious Gaara, quit playing!"_

"That's just revenge for all of the time _you've_ went too far!" They both laughed bowlingly.

"_You're being cruel"_

"I'm sorry but I didn't know you were this bent on sleeping with me", he said, voice dripping sarcasm.

"_You're so fucking funny"_

"You know, I know what your problem is"

"_I don't have a problem"_

"Denial is part of it, but I think you're still getting used to the fact that I'm not one of your little pussycats"

"_What the hell is that supposed to mean?" His voice rose in anger._

"You're frustrated because I said the word 'no'"

"_Believe what you like for now but you're just making it worse for yourself for when I get home"_

"So now you're threatening me?"

"_No, I'm_ telling_ you that I'm gonna fuck your brains out when I get home"_

"You don't scare me"

"_That's easy for you to say in another state"_

"You don't scare me in New York, and you don't scare me in LA"

_A man in the background said something. _

"_I have to go", he said gruffly. "I'll finish this with you later"_

"Ok", the red-head said accepting the threat before him.

"_I'll call you back later on tonight"_

They hung up and Gaara fell back down onto the sofa/bed as he held the black device to his heart. _If this is what falling in love feels like, then now I know why it makes people do stupid shit._

_**As hard as it bites, I'm keeping my sights on you**_

_**Whatcha gonna do for me, Whatcha gonna do for me**_

_**When the chips are down...**_

* * *

><p>A tall building in downtown LA, the 40th floor, 8:00<p>

Georges Montevallo sat high in pride in his leather chair on that high floor as the people below bustled about despite the rain.

Since birth he was trained by his father, uncles and older brothers and sisters to be a lethal weapon.

He was indeed good at his job but according to his own account, he had much to learn even in his thirties. He puffed a Cuban cigar as he placed his shiny black shoes on the top of his glass desk.

A young man walked into his office through the wooden door. "Mr. Uzumaki is on his way up, sir". Georges nodded at the young receptionist before he left out of the spacious office room.

He killed without ever seeing his victims in person all before to spare himself the possibility of deciding to spare their lives, risking unwanted attention and a loss of thousands of dollars which he would be paid.

This however was a special job, and a special client. Georges knew Minato from his early days as a young CEO and when Georges himself was still being trained by his family of trained assassins.

The door opened again revealing the young receptionist, frightened for his life by the towering man, and Minato who looked down at the effeminate young boy with a disgusted sneer. Georges chuckled.

The young employee scurried out of the office.

"I see you've taken a liking to my assistant"

Minato snorted. "The faggot shouldnt've looked at me like that"

"He is a dedicated worker despite his orientation, you know. I got him when he was only tall enough to reach the top of the copying machine"

"Enough with the small talk, let's get down to business", he said slapping a few files and a few photos onto the desk. "I want to get this shit started"

Georges offered Minato a cigar, which he gladly accepted and took a long puff. "You never really explained why you want this kid dead".

"Georges, it's a matter of principle", Minato stated. "You of all people know how much I love my son. My pride and joy, that boy is. But he's so damn stubborn"

"Meaning?"

"I've nearly broken my back trying to yank this little faggot shit out of him, but no avail", he took a puff. Georges got up and went to the counter next to his desk and poured the both of them a glass of Scotch.

"I've given him the option of some of the most gorgeous women in the world, nothing. So, the way I see it is that I've only got two choices"

"Which are..."

"I could easily disown him, but that wouldn't do much good. He'd be just as powerful without me"

"What's your other option?"

"That's where you come in my friend", Minato stressed. "I'll just have to cut the cord from the other end"

"You do know that I charge extra for anyone under 21, right?"

"I'm aware, it's worth it". He took a gulp of scotch. "If I can save my son from making a huge mistake and ruining his career for some queer"

Georges went back behind his desk and intertwined his fingers in the leather pallet in the center. "So how do you want this to go down?"

"I'll let you know when I want him dead, for sure". He took another gulp of Scotch. "The kid knows I hate him and probably already blabbed it to his mother. I can't have two bodies on my hands"

"So..."

"So I'll have to let him get in comfortably first", he said smiling. "You mind if I tell you a little story Georges"

The younger man leaned back in his chair and motioned with his hand s for Minato to continue. "If it'll help me understand what that hell is going on, by all means"

"When I was younger, my father would take me hunting. I looked forward to those trips every year. My father was one of the best hunters I'd ever seen. He always used to take me with him to hunt deer. You should try it one day, really. But there was one technique that he always told me to use hat I still haven't forgotten and probably never will. He said to make as little noise as possible, just to get the deer to be still, the last thing you wanna do is scare him off. And then when he's content with his surroundings; then and only then do you make your move", he took another puff of the thick tobacco product.

Georges sighed. "I understand now"

Minato smirked. "I thought you would"

* * *

><p>End of week Two, Friday night, Midnight, Maude's<p>

The restaurant had a different look that night.

It was as if the men in the seats before the stage, the booths and the men at the bar were unusually calm that night. The queens weren't being harassed; the waiters weren't being groped or ogled at.

Angela was behind the front counter and looked across the establishment to see a somber red-head picking up a tip left on the shiny wooden table and stuffing it in the silk pocket of the tight garment.

That night was 'Black night' and Angela wanted all of her boys to be in tight black and form fitting silk body suit that covered his neck down the his bare feet. Sections of the suit were replaced with fishnet like the inner thigh, back, sides, hands, neck and half of his ass.

The busboy was out with a fever. Gaara grabbed a wet rag from the bucket and began to scrub the table. The last party was a group of mid-aged men who knew nothing of the word 'clean'. Lemons, BBQ sauce, crumbs and all types of edible debris littered the table.

Angela sighed. He usually lit up whenever he got a generous tip.

Chloe sat behind her in her chair as she filed her nails. "Any person with sense can tell why he's down", she said matter-of-factly as she looked up over the brim of her 50s chic glasses.

Angela looked down at the hostess and back at Gaara. He sighed heavily as he wiped away the stains on the dark wooden polished table.

The student felt Angela's presence come up behind him and he looked up from his task to see her understanding face. "Come on, sweetheart. What's wrong?"

He looked up at her again with a guilty face. "Nothing's wrong".

"Oh don't give me that bullshit. You've been working here for almost a year and a half. I know when something's wrong with you, now spill!"

Gaara sighed again. "I'm just tired, that's all", he lied, hoping that she would take his answer and leave him alone.

"Well, I noticed that a certain football player hasn't picked you up from work in the last two weeks", she folded her arms across her bust and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for him to let down his guard.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"He's been gone for two weeks, that's a long time to be apart from a significant other. Trust me, I understand", she said with a soft tone.

Gaara chuckled. "I think 'significant other' is pushing it a little".

"Oh please", she said dismissing his display of denial. "You two are a couple if I ever saw one".

"Well, I'll admit we've been seeing each other but we haven't gotten serious or anything"

"You know, I ought smack you for lying like that"

"What? I'm not lying", he pleaded as if to his mother who would have given a similar response. "We haven't even had sex yet".

"I sure as hell hope not!"

"Why not?"

"Sweetie, one thing you'll learn about powerful men is that after a while, women falling into your lap isn't exciting anymore. They want something to chase after"

Gaara put the wet and filthy rag in the bucket as he sighed softly. "You're right. I was lying".

"MmHm", she concurred confidently.

"It's been like a dream, these last few weeks", he said as he walked away to the kitchen area in the back. Angela watched him as he exited the quaint openness of her inherited establishment.

_That poor child. _She walked back to her original post and said a silent prayer for Gaara's troubles.

* * *

><p>Monday, beginning of week 3, a private jet<p>

The cabin was painted with the deep voices of teammates as the plane reached 30,000 feet.

Naruto looked out the window at the cotton clouds as they masked the face of the setting sun. He leaned back and ran a hand through his blonde hair; a few guys behind him were playing a loud game of poker.

Sasuke was already calling one of his old flames in the next city in which they were to soon land. The coach and a few of the team members were in a heated discussion over the previous year's Super Bowl.

The heat that emitted from Gaara's face in the QB's mind seemed to melt all of the noises, voices and conversation together into one sonorous ring in his ears. There was nothing on that plane that could tears mind and thought from each other.

Sasuke, in the middle of his conversation, stopped to see his best friend glowering out the window; an unusual sight where as he was usually the life and heart of these plane rides from city to city.

The woman on the other line called for Sasuke when she heard him stop in mid sentence. He jumped out of his state of concern.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. So we're on tomorrow night?"

"_..."_

"Good, see you when I get there", he said quickly as he placed his phone next to his Mimosa. He looked at Naruto's face. It was an expression that he hadn't seen on his face since they were in high school.

"Naruto"

He didn't notice someone addressing him; His mind fought the urge to allow the sound of the outside world in, threatening to be separated from Gaara's face.

"Naruto"

Still nothing.

"Naruto!" He barked as he snapped his fingers in front on his face.

The QB looked as if he'd just come out from a short period of comatose. "What?" He answered with a tone of bother.

"What the hell is with you, man? You've been zoning out ever since we left LA"

"Nothing, I'm just ready to get back home, I guess", he half-lied as he sighed deeply. Sasuke's expression clearly conveyed the he wasn't satisfied with the lie that was just fed to him in an obvious effort to shut him up.

"Since when do YOU want to go home early?"

"Sasuke..."

"And that's another thing, we went out to four strip joints and you stayed back at the hotel for all of them. What the fuck is that?"

"I told you already, I'm just ready to get back to my loft"

"You didn't even do the 'how many groupies can you bang before we leave' thing. It's fucking tradition!"

"Look, I told you the truth. Do whatever you like with it", he said flatly as he picked up his phone. A smile suddenly graced his face for the first time during the entire plane ride.

Sasuke gave him an inquisitive glare. He connected the dots in his mind. He leaned close to his best friend causing him t retreat a little.

"Don't tell me you wanna get back because of that little boy-toy"

"_Gaara, _has absolutely nothing to do with me wanting to get home", he said confidently as he continued to smile into his screen on his phone.

Sasuke put his hands up in relent as he retreated to the back of his seat. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was a feeling of collapse inside him. Collapse of the way things used to be and collapse of the confidence that he had in things going the way he predicted in the future.

Naruto smirked as he looked out the window. He soon stopped wishing for people to understand how hi felt. It was a feeling that was all his own.

* * *

><p>Thursday night, a corner office that over looked the slums of LA<p>

One of the taller buildings that over-looked the long street that ran behind Maude's was located on the very edge of the corporate half of LA.

The building belonged to an investment agency that had recently gone into business. It was owned by the son of a wealthy and retired man's youngest son. The revolving door of the business was spinning all day.

The door spun all day by the propeller of hundreds of women and men coming in with high hopes and the belief that their business as worth giving life to.

The receptionist at the front desk was reading that month's edition of Vogue when she heard the clicking of a pair of high heels approaching the marble countered desk. She looked up to see a brunette in a stunning frock.

"How may I assist you today ma'am", she said in her best voice out of respect for the woman who held such a high regard for herself.

The woman flipped a lock of her brilliantly shining brown hair and flipped it away from her eye. "Yes, I have an appointment with Mr. Donovan".

"Under what name?"

"Charlotte Manassey"

The receptionist looked through the list on her computer screen fro a brief moment. "Oh yes, he asked about you earlier".

Charlotte gave a fake smile.

"If you'll just take that elevator and-"

"I know how to get to his office, thank you", she interrupted briskly and walked away to the elevator that she about to be directed to. The flipped her hair again as she looked afar when the elevator doors closed.

The receptionist scoffed her as she turned back to her magazine. "Well, excuse the hell out of me, bitch".

When the elevator doors parted again and they revealed the eighth from the top floor, the mail room worker in brown gave the young woman a suggestive smirk. He opened his mouth to flirt with her.

"Please, don't even try", she said abruptly as she breezed past him.

She walked toward the office door to the left of them. He gazed at her from behind. "Damn, that is some kinda woman", he said as he let the elevator engulf him down to the first floor.

Charlotte knocked and opened the door to reveal her best friend James Donovan glued to his computer screen, gazing at all of the clients on tab for the next week. He hardly turned to greet her.

"Tear yourself away from that computer screen for a moment, will you", she ordered abruptly as he reluctantly turned to her.

"Now, why exactly did you want to see me again?"

"Because", she began as she put her handbag on his desk. "There's been a ...development"

His brown eye brows rose as high as the floor they were on. "Go on..."

"Well, it turns out that there's a little about this kid that nobody knows", she said pulling out a file. "And when you find out you'll know why".

James leaned back in his chair.

"I did some digging and I happened to run across a trial that went down about 6 years ago".

"Trial?"

"Yep, it just so happens that the kid's mother has a few skeletons in her closet and the little slut allegedly had a role in it too".

"What were the charges?"

She scoffed. "That half-witted district attorney wouldn't budge. I'll fix him later but that's all I have now"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Goodness no, I have to find out what it was that happened, it could make all the difference in the world"

"I suppose you're right"

Charlotte rose from her seat and went to the window. She peered across the view outside and laid eyes on Maude's, just a block and a half away from the building that they were in.

"What are you looking at?"

For a moment, there was no answer. "I'm just watching the night lights, they're beautiful", she said smiling deviously. She watched the street that ran behind the pub and sighed to herself.

She could see a certain red-head leave the establishment with a bag over his shoulder.

_Oh how I love watching you suffer. _

She leaned against the wall and watched dreamily out the window as she watched her prey fall into a trap that she set. She started talking to James about his latest fling.

Down below on that same wretched street that Gaara was forced to tread in order to catch the bus; his head was spinning after such a bout of weeks.

In only a short while he was tossed into an entire world that was all new to him and out of no where, ripped out of it and forced to wait three weeks to be given back to it

With his messenger bag over his shoulder he, walked up the curb that started the street that was filed with prostitutes, drug dealers, pimps, drug addicts and homeless persons that slumbered amidst the madness behind the dumpsters.

Gaara always felt like he was unsafe going down that street but it was on the evening when he truly felt like his life and wellness were in unusual jeopardy.

It was a humid night.

Angela's costume idea for that night was merciless as usual. Gaara's only defense was to cover himself with his messenger bag as he scurried to the stop on the other end of the block.

His skin crawled when he heard a familiar hum of a car come up behind him, he began to walk faster. The car's music was blasting loudly. A druggy that Gaara walked pat called out to him for a few dollars.

The passenger window to the car rolled down and it revealed two men, one of whom Gaara had gotten to know very well in the past few weeks, much to his protest. He scoffed and kept walking.

The newer man called out to him. "Hey baby, why the rush?" Paul burst into laughter in the driver's seat as the car drove up closer to the curb.

Gaara kept walking with a frustrated look on his face. He had to admit that he was playing hard to get with Naruto. More than ever, he wished that the blonde haired man would pull up and whisk him away just one more time.

Gaara's heart began to race when Paul swerved onto the sidewalk, blocking his path. He looked with heightened fear as he saw the two taller, older, and much stronger men exit the vehicle.

The other man with Paul was a taller man, not as tall as Naruto but taller still, with black hair and a hulking form. He tossed his cigarette on the ground and put it out with his large boot.

Gaara tried to escape in the other direction and Horace grabbed him roughly by his arms and pulled him close. His face was nearly inches from Gaara's. The red-head cringed at the foul smell of his breath.

"I usually fuck women but, I think you'll do", he said in a sultry voice as he crushed Gaara's lips into his, trying to force his tongue into his mouth. Gaara slammed his fists into the man's tough chest to no avail.

The taste of beer and cigarettes filled Gaara's cavity along with Horace's saliva.

Paul came up behind him and yanked his bag to the ground. Gaara began kicking wildly as Paul and Horace dragged him to the alley next to them. Gaara screamed hoarsely as he thrashed in their captivity.

A few crack heads cackled at his predicament from around the corner. "Ha! Look, they got him!"

Paul ran his hand into the crevice of Gaara's ass. He could no longer kick where as Horace had his leg pinned down on an old mattress.

"My brother warned me you were a handful", the older man grabbed him by his cheeks and unzipped his pants. He pulled out his throbbing length and slapped Gaara with it.

_Just do it and you'll get out of here. _

Gaara shut his eyes tightly and bit down on Horace's testicle as hard as he could. The large man roared in agony as he punched Gaara fiercely in the face, knocking his breath away. He couldn't let that stop him. He had to get away.

He kicked Paul fiercely in his groin allowing him to break free. He left the two men writhing in that alley, scooped up his discarded bag and ran down the street with every ounce of energy left in his body after working all day.

He didn't look back but he could hear the hookers laughing at him. "Oooh, bitch you better run, they're catching up!" They all burst into uproarious laughter at his plight as he finally took a look back to see the two men gaining on him.

The fact that the flickering street lights were the only form of light in that abandoned street didn't help matters very much as Gaara ran to the bus stop and was relieved when he saw the bus already being loaded with passengers.

He climbed on, out of breath, and rushed to his seat. Horace and Paul were right outside the window and glowered at him menacingly from on the ground as the bus pulled away. Horace punched the bus angrily and shouted obscenities at him through the window.

"This isn't over bitch!"

Gaara received many looks as he tried his best to catch his breath. For the first time he noticed that his nose was bleeding from Horace's harsh blow. Blood dripped down onto his fishnet; he pulled a tissue out of his retrieved bag and wiped his face.

He wanted to just curl up in a ball and cry, but pride wouldn't allow it in front of a bus full of people in front of whom he had already profusely embarrassed himself.

After only a few stops the bus pulled to a stop in front of Gaara's apartment complex. He hesitantly exited his temporary safe haven and got off. His legs shook from the adrenaline that had still resided in his veins.

Gaara still couldn't shake the feeling of unsafety as he walked across the street to his apartment complex. He jumped at even the smallest noises. He could've sworn that somebody was near until his hear a cough in the shadows.

He took off running frantically towards his building.

Scurrying furiously up the stairs, a section of the rusty rail snagged onto his fish net sending him toppling to the ground. He scrapped his knee on the concrete causing even more injury and tearing the fabric.

He limped as fast as he could to the door, unlocked it and locked himself safely inside. He schlepped into the closet for a fresh pair of clothes after Fred ran to his worn owner and he dropped his belongings on the floor.

He rushed into the shower and turned on the hot water. He let the hot liquid run over the fresh wound and hissed a little at the pain. He slowly let the water run over his naked body as he washed the filth off of himself.

Gaara got out after a long cleansing and looked at himself in the old mirror. His nose had stopped bleeding and his knee started to feel better. He put on a pair of short shorts and a small t-shirt before walking into the main room and falling out on the sofa.

He then longed to be near Naruto more than ever. He would only put up a shield for Naruto to think that he didn't want him to protect him but he had to admit to himself that the thought was nice.

_**Baby I can't go anywhere without thinking that you're there**_

_**Seems like you're everywhere it's true**_

_**Gotta be having Déjà vu **_

_**Because in my mind I want you here, get on the next plane I don't care**_

_**Is it because I'm missing you, that I'm having Déjà vu? **_

The weight of the past events began to take their toll and Gaara let the first tears of his own fall for a brief moment. He couldn't fully take in being away on his own from his small home in that small town, being a cocktail waiter, and meeting and falling in love with a quarter back.

Suddenly his phone started vibrating under him. He pulled it out and it was Naruto. He didn't know whether to be happy or be afraid of him knowing that he'd just been crying. He quickly wiped his tears and cleared his throat.

"Hello?"

"_Hey...Gaara, what's wrong?"_

Gaara looked at the phone in astonishment. _How the hell...?_

"_Gaara, tell what happened"_

"What makes you think something happened?"

"_You sound like you've been crying"_

"Well I haven't"

"_You're lying"_

"I know, but you weren't supposed to find out"

"_Well I did now what's wrong dammit"_

Gaara sighed. "Paul and his brother roughed me up a little that's all"

"_WHAT?"_

"Now _that_ was the reaction I was afraid of"

"_I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA KILL THOSE LITTLE FUCKERS!"_

"NARUTO!"

"_WHAT!"_

"Calm. Down. I'm ok, he barely hit me", Gaara lied putting a hand to his nose.

_Naruto's breath became calmer. "Look, I didn't mean to get all crazy like that, I just can't control myself when I even think about somebody hurting you"_

"It's ok, I'm fine"

"_I guess it doesn't help much that I miss you so much. Those damn cowards knew I wasn't there to kick their sorry ass"_

"I miss you too"

"_You should've seen the guys' faces when I told them that I was gonna sit out on tonight's strip joint fest"_

"I'm guessing that's your thing"

"_It was, until I met you"_

Gaara stopped briefly, that statement made his stomach flutter wildly. "You shouldn't let me stop you from having fun with your friends"

"_That's just it. I can't get into anybody else right now"_

"Why?"

"_How can I get into a stripper when I've got a hot red-head waiting for me at home?"_

"Thank you, I guess"

"_It's true. I can't stop thinking about coming home. This is THE longest I've gone without sex in my adult life"_

"I made 'the bullet' go a month without sex? Go me"

"_Celebrate now, because that's gonna be as long I'll wait"_

"So if I don't let you fuck me tomorrow, you're gonna break up with me?"

"_It's possible"_

"I think you're bluffing"

"_Everybody's entitled to their opinion"_

"And why should I have sex with you just so you won't dump me?"

"_I don't think you realize who you're dealing with"_

"I'm dealing with someone who thinks quite highly of himself, though unnecessarily"

"_If you'll ask any woman that's been with me, they'll fill you in"_

"Oh, you mean all of the woman across the country who you slept with and forgot the next morning, oh yeah they'll _really_ put in a good word for you"

"_You're funny", Naruto said sarcastically._

"So I've been told"

"_Hey, jokes aside, Sakura, Sasuke and I all camp out at my loft after every out of state thing, wanna join?"_

Gaara sighed dejectedly. "I don't know Naruto, I tossed Merlot on one of them and both think I'm a gold-digger"

"_Sakura's coming around"_

"And Sasuke?"

"_Yeah, he hates your guts"_

"Naruto!"

"_Come on, I'll be there"_

"You live there; of course you'll be there"

"_We've won every game these past three weeks, do it for me"_

"...fine"

"_Perfect"_

"Well on the bright side, with your friends there now we can't possibly have sex"

"_Wait, Gaara"_

"It's late Naruto, but I can't wait to see you tomorrow", Gaara said smiling down at Fred as he hung up before the QB could get another word in.

_Naruto looked at the phone and chuckled to himself. "We'll see about that"._

* * *

><p>Across the city of LA, Charlotte drove up to two men, both holding ice from the gas station up to their crotches, in a taxi.<p>

She rolled down her window. "What the hell happened to you two?"

"We want extra"

"I'll give you no such thing!"

Paul approached the car. "That bitch bit him in the nuts and kicked me in mine. That at least $100 extra"

"You're going to take what I give you or you'll get nothing but two pairs of sore balls", she snapped coldly at he two complaining assailants.

"Paul just take the money", Horace said still wincing from his sore groin.

Charlotte handed the two of them $300 each and drove off without another word.

Friday, late afternoon, 4:30, a busy airport in LA

Jet lag ran rampant across the busy LA airport as thousands of people got on and off the jet way to and from their planes.

People stopped and greeted the mass of football players with congratulations and requests for autographs. The groupies were not far behind in their high heels, low cut dresses, tight jeans and short shorts.

Even if there strenuous efforts to primp themselves to perfection only got the men to glance at their infinite beauty that would be enough. Naruto couldn't be more indifferent to women throwing themselves at the team.

Sasuke and Jiraiya looked at him strangely. The coach looked back at Sasuke.

"Where the hell is he off to?"

Sasuke sighed, not wanting to unveil his best friend's secret. "I can't even begin to tell you".

Naruto rushed through the crowd to look for the third party of their circle of knowing each other. Sasuke had since departed from the group and the rest of the team, tired; all went their separate ways until the next practice.

Sasuke had to scurry a little to catch up to Naruto trying his hardest to rush Sakura out of the airport to the car.

"Will you quit it!" She punched him on his shoulder. "What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Me. Home. Now", he spelled out for her arising an initially inquisitive look as he walked out to the car. Sakura turned to Sasuke with a look of a giddy child.

"I don't know about you, but _I_ know why he _really_ wants to get out of here so badly". She smirked and followed the QB out of the terminal doors. Sasuke grumbled obscenities about Gaara under his breath as he reluctantly followed the two as well.

It was as if there was a joke or a riddle that everybody else understood but him and it was beginning to become a pain.

In the car, Sakura and Sasuke sat in the back seat and Naruto in the front passenger. Martin could feel the anxious vibe that the blonde haired man emitted and couldn't help but press the gas pedal closer to the floor.

Sakura leaned close to the back of the head rest. "I know why you're so anxious to get home", she said with a mischievous voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Oh, don't play coy with me. I saw the way you two made out before you left, not to mention you were about to attack him like a wild animal before I came in".

"Have you been drinking?"

"Yes, but that's besides the point"

"And exactly what is 'the point'?"

"You should invite him over tonight"

Naruto sighed and looked ahead. "I already did".

Sasuke jumped up from his laid back position and got as close to him as Sakura. "WHAT!"

"He's had a rough week. He got attacked in an alley, exams, bills, his boss piling overtime on him. I want him there with me"

Sakura gasped. "He was attacked in an alley?"

Sasuke, feeling a tinge of guilt, retreated to the back of his leather seat.

"By who?"

"Some little fuck who's been bothering him lately", Naruto's fists clenched at he subject. "I almost killed him last time I caught him"

"Oh my goodness, that poor kid"

"Then the bastard had the nerve, or lack there of, to bring his brother"

"There were two of them!"

"Yeah"

"Is he ok? Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah he's fine"

"Since when do you care?" Sasuke said with his arms crossed from the back. Sakura looked over at him with a scowl.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just a few weeks ago you thought he was a weak little kid who needed to run back home to his mother and now you act like you were _smitten_ from the start"

She paused to give him an ugly stare. "Now I'll admit that I was a little quick to judge him at first but unlike you I can look past my own opinions long enough to see that he makes MY best friend happy"

Sasuke glared back at her.

"And quite frankly, I don't know if you can say the same"

"I don't believe this bullshit! Just because he's giving him the run around for sex, you call that fucking happiness?"

"And what the hell would YOU know about happiness 'Mr. I make bets on how many women I can sleep with before sundown!'"

"GUYS!" Naruto looked back at the two quarreling adults. They both stopped glaring at each other to look at their best friend.

"I'm 26 years old, I can decide for myself who I want to date", he said calmly. "And quite frankly If I want to see Gaara, I'm going to fucking see him"

"I concur", Martin said in his thick British accent. "The young chap is quite a character"

The entire car went silent as everyone gaped at the usually quite driver. "The lad had me all but bursting with laughter over an interesting conversation over his Mum"

Sakura looked over at Sasuke with a 'see, even the driver thinks Gaara's a sweet kid' look. They pulled into the parking garage and traveled up the winding driveway to Naruto's designated parking space.

Naruto got out of the car first and left the both of them to get up to his unit on their own time. It was evident that he was sick of people telling him what he should think about Gaara's intentions, if he even had any.

The two joined him in the elevator and the machine lifted the three of them to Naruto's floor. Naruto unlocked his loft and all three of them threw their bags on the floor beneath them.

Naruto immediately called Gaara before walking into the master bedroom and closing the door behind him.

Sakura turned around and slapped Sasuke fiercely on the cheek. He growled in pain as he grabbed his stinging cheek.

"What the hell is your fucking problem!"

"My problem? Oh no, YOU'RE the one with the fucking problem!"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Oh really now, you mean to tell me you don't know why ever since Naruto's been with this kid, you've been acting like you have a football lodged up your ass?"

"Well last time I checked, keeping this guy away from money-hungry leeches was YOUR job!"

"Gaara is not a money-hungry leech. He's a sweet kid who just happens to be financially unstable"

"Yeah right! He's got fucking dollar signs in his eyes and you know it"

"No, but I do know that YOU are in no position to criticize ANYONE on their choice of companion!"

"You call it sleeping around, I call it putting myself first", he said smugly walking away.

Sakura sighed as she regained the strength not to pummel the look off of his face. She followed him to the sofa where he sat down and propped herself on the arms of the chair nearly inches in front of his face.

"Look, I don't know what your issue with this kid is and honestly I don't care", she said above a whisper as she heard Naruto's voice coming closer and closer to the other side of the door that separated them.

"But at least have the decency to keep your asinine remarks to yourself. You don't know this kid, what he's been through in the past or lately". Sasuke could almost taste the mint off of her breath.

Sasuke looked into her eyes and could feel a surge shoot through his mid section and soon his strong arms captured the petite woman onto this lap in a fiery kiss that seemed to last for eons.

Sakura's fair hair mixed the darkness of Sasuke's as her small hands roamed down his sculpted chest.

Naruto erupted from the bedroom door, still ending his conversation with Gaara. Sakura leaped off of a smirking Sasuke and straightened her clothes before secluding herself to the edge of the longer sofa in front of the TV.

"It's no problem, I understand"

Sakura turned around to see Naruto's smile hanging by a wire as he was visibly receiving bad news.

"I guess I'll see you tonight"

"_..."_

"By the way, you think you can put on something a little sexy tonight, I could use the view"

"_..."_

"Forget about my friends, God knows I wish I could", he said jokingly. Sasuke took it more as a 'wake-up-slap' and less of a joke as he began to feel guilty for wishing that Naruto were straight on the plane the day before.

"_..."_

Naruto grinned widely. "Yeah, that'll work".

Sakura looked up at her best friend with a playful disdain as he hung up the phone. "Did you really just ask him that?"

"What? I haven't seen him in three weeks. I think I deserve a treat for holding out"

"You sounded like a dog begging for steak"

"I guess you can think of it like that"

The both of them laughed light-heartedly as the sun began to go down. Sakura got up from her sitting position as Naruto rummaged through his clear glass refrigerator for a beer.

Immediately regretting wearing a pencil skirt with her suit that day, she made the mistake of choosing the path that crossed in front of Sasuke. He ran his hand up her gray skirt as she walked by earning him a punch in he arm before Naruto could submerge from the allows of the refrigerator.

"So what do you guys wanna eat, it's my turn to buy", she offered as the redness slowly crept out of her cheeks.

"I thought we were gonna wait for Gaara"

"What time is he coming?"

"Well I was gonna pick him up from work at 9:00 but he insisted that I let him take the bus"

"After what happened to him? He'd have to take at least three busses to get here"

"That's what I said, but he wouldn't budge and on top of that he wants to go home to change"

"Yeah, thanks to you"

"Well, he is a champ at bus hopping", he said to himself chuckling as he took a swig of his beer.

"I still think you should have insisted"

"I did"

"Well obviously not enough"

"And you think you could've done better?"

"Of course, you suck at persuasion. That's kind of why you hired me as you manager"

"You don't know Gaara. Persuading him is like trying to infiltrate fucking Ft. Knox"

"Well being 19 in LA, is there any other way to be"

"Yeah, I guess", Naruto said as he began to think to himself about all of the things that Gaara had to endure when they were apart.

_**I dream of moments we share, but you're not there**_

_**I'm living in a fantasy**_

_**No, you don't even suspect, could probably care less**_

_**About the changes I've been going through...**_

* * *

><p>A studio apartment only a few miles from Naruto's loft, about 7:00<p>

The streets were fully dependant on the street light by then and the streets were littered with the Friday night's civilians.

The lights from the office building reflected off of Victoria Emerson's apartment that was littered with fashion magazines, sewing materials, fabrics and pin cushions.

The woman, shorter than she could be proud of, scurried to the front door when she was awakened from her mire of ideas for dresses, evening gowns and frocks by a loud knocking on the door.

She looked through the peephole to see her best friend since childhood waiting to be let in. She quickly unlocked the many locks on the rugged looking door to reveal a brunette with mascara dancing a lamentable dance with her sorrowful tears about her face.

She stopped sniffling to speak up. "You mind if I crash here for a few nights?" Victoria tore herself away from the sight of he smeared makeup to notice the duffle bag messily stuffed with clothes over her shoulder.

"Oh darling, you don't even have to ask!" she said guiding the distraught woman into her home after locking the locks back behind her. She ran to the restroom and came back with a handful of tissue and makeup remover and began to clean her clown-like face.

"What happened? What's wrong? Tell me, something!" Victoria said to her slumped over best friend sitting next to her on the couch.

She wiped the mucus away from her nose. "I went to see him at the airport".

_Flashback - Earlier that day_

_The young woman walked into the terminal with a confidence that was deemed by her stride and sunny smile: unbreakable._

_Many men whistled and tried to flirt with her but only one man was the king of her mind and heart._

_She wore a short red low-cut dress that hugged her curves from bust line to hem._

_She sat patiently down at one of the seat near the doors to the jet way, looking at the clock. _

_She nervously tapped her shiny black pumps in anticipation. Her hair was pinned up just the way he liked. The things that made him love her were a law code that she dared not deviate from._

_The doors opened and a few short applauses rang out for the winning team of that city and Charlotte felt a tinge of bliss breathe trough her. _

_She couldn't put into words how much she longed to be the woman behind one of the best athletes in the country, to feel that some of his success was dedicated to her, the love of his life, his treasure, his prize._

_She waited for a few moments as a few men looked at her with a look that made it clear that they were in for a show._

_She waived at them genuinely as she waited a little longer until she saw Sasuke walk out. She leaped from her seat. _

_The older man greeted her happily with a kiss on the cheek. _

"_Charlotte! It so good to see you, you look amazing"_

"_Always the charm", she said coyly._

"_What's the occasion?"_

"_Actually I'm here to see Naruto", she said looking away. "I miss him so much, some days it hurts"_

_Her red lipstick was bold as her face morphed into one of longing and one of unhappiness._

"_Well he's coming, he lost his phone on the jet", he informed. "You know, I must say he's been attached to that damn thing all month"_

"_He always misplaced that thing" she said silently reminiscing as they both shared a laugh._

"_Oh, here he comes", Sasuke warned playfully as they both saw Naruto glued to his phone as he walked down the corridor._

"_Wish me luck", she said as Sasuke walked away to leave the two to themselves. As the older man walked away he secretly wished that Charlotte would be forgiven. He wished it vehemently but silently still._

_At least then, he would be comforted in the fact that things would be the same again._

_Charlotte stood in front of the exit of the jet way with her hands placed humbly in front of her._

"_Naruto?"_

_The man looked up with an initial glance of curiosity as to who addressed him. The glance twisted into one that clearly read back to Charlotte the betrayal that he felt so long ago._

"_Charlotte, what are you doing here?"_

"_I came to see you", she said looking up at him. She was always attracted to the way he towered over her even in heels._

"_I missed you"_

_Naruto sighed. "Charlotte, don't do this"_

"_Do what?"_

"_This, you coming up to the airport all dressed up out of no where"_

"_But you didn't answer any of my calls; I didn't feel like I had any other options"_

"_I can't believe this", he said walking past her. She grabbed him softly by his shoulder._

"_Please, Naruto, just listen to me I have something to tell you"_

"_I don't wanna hear it Charlotte"_

"_Will you just listen to me?"_

"_No, you think you can just show up two years later and think I'll be free to run back to you again"_

_Charlotte feigned a hurt look. "There's someone else?"_

"_Yes", he stated sternly. "And from the looks of it they don't intend on having a threesome with two of my teammates anytime soon"_

_Charlotte's lips quivered. "H-how could you say that?"_

"_Look, I can't take this right now. Goodbye Charlotte", he said as he turned around and left her to contemplate the events that just took place._

_Yet her tears weren't directed at her own guilt, the loss of a relationship or even her own embarrassment; it was directed at who Naruto didn't know that she had knowledge of. _

_She hated Gaara more than ever._

_It was then when she discovered that killing him would only send Naruto into a world of grief that would be locked off to her. She had to change her strategy; drastically and soon._

Victoria held her friend in her arms as she cried her eyes out with the pouring out of that day's events. She released herself from her friend loving grasp and looked up at her for a moment.

In that moment, Victoria couldn't quite tell what was in Charlotte's eyes until she got up and went to the window.

Charlotte looked out and could faintly see Naruto's lofts that towered over the rest of the apartments buildings in that area.

"Charlotte darling, what is it?"

Initially there was no answer.

"Vicky..."

"Yes? Darling you're scaring me"

"I didn't want to have to do this but, now I'm afraid I don't have a choice".

A phone call

"Hello?"

"_I've got eyes at the boy's job"_

"What about his apartment?"

"_They're all in place"_

"Perfect, now all there is to do is wait for the right moment"

"_I've got other jobs lined up. When do you propose that this moment will come?"_

"Be patient, if we shoot him in broad daylight, a lot of fingers are gonna point straight to me"

"_He's only a minor working at a queer joint. Not very much will come of that"_

"Trust me; I've got people close to me who've already seen how much I despise him. It's too much of a risk"

"_Are you sure? Because if I wait too long then he might catch on and we'll both go down"_

"I'm positive. If we do this we, do it clean"

* * *

><p>The sidewalk outside Naruto's loft, 10:00<p>

Gaara walked quickly along the cracked pavement as he heard many cars honk at him on his way towards the tall building made up of stacked homes and busy elevators.

His nerves were on pins and needles as one or two cars stopped by the curb. Luckily they were only older men who mistook him for a prostitute.

He wanted to look good for Naruto so he wore something that he was sure to catch his fancy. He wore a red and black tight v-neck t-shirt, a pair of tight black booty shorts that were ripped on the thighs, fish net where the top was hidden under his shorts and his favorite fragrance; vanilla in summertime.

He was still getting used to the idea of making himself look a certain way to impress somebody, outside of work purposes. He wore a spiked wrist clamp.

He couldn't go through the parking garage and decided to enter through the front door. The all black, low-top converses he wore were his guide as he treaded up the steps to the pad and speaker.

_Fuck! What loft is he in? _He bit his lips as he looked up the large panel of buttons with numbers underneath each one, some of which he wasn't tall enough to reach anyhow.

_Right! That corny joke he made last time, _he remembered. Naruto had come with a funny way to remember his unit number at times like the one Gaara was stuck in.

'Just think of how many times I asked you to sleep with me and multiply it by how many ugly looks you got from my groupies that one night'.

Gaara laughed at the thought of it as he stood on the tips of his toes to reach the button '786'.

Gaara struggled to hold it down until someone answered.

"Yo"

"It's Gaara"

"Gaara! Come on up"

Gaara laughed to himself at how excited he sounded. It amazed him infallibly how he could still feel those damned butterflies in his stomach after all of this time. It was a strange thing to feel when he still couldn't see very far into the future.

As he entered he walked past the laundry room where Mrs. Jackson was walking out. She and her granddaughter Julia came to the university to get their hair, nails and make-up done twice every month, which was the only time Julia's mother allowed her to see her grandmother.

Mrs. Jackson owned more stocks than Gaara could count, yet she chose to live in a modest loft by herself at 78 years old.

"Gaara!" She said putting down the basket and running over to give the red-head a hug.

"Mrs. Jackson, it's so good to see you two", he said genuinely. "Do you guys need some help?"

"Oh no we're fine. Besides, it looks like you're here to see somebody", she said inquisitively looking at him over the brim of her glasses.

"Yes ma'am, a friend of mine is back in town and he asked me to spend the night", he said holding up the small bag of items over his shoulder. Julia, only three years younger than Gaara, confided in him for everything while he did her make-up.

"Oh my goodness, Gaara so much happened this week; I'm just dying to spill!" She said happily as Gaara laughed softly.

"I can't wait. You guys are stopping by on Tuesday right?" He felt a wave of relief that finals were over and he only had to worry about their beauty without the presence of term papers. He needed a break more than anything.

"We'll see you there", she said as they picked up their baskets and went out to the opposite elevator. "Save a chair for us sweetheart!" She said as the elevator doors closed.

Gaara smiled to himself as he felt like the hateful sneers pointed at him at the university were given worth by the loving grandmother and granddaughter.

He stepped into the elevator that led up to Naruto's floor and watched the elevator doors close. He felt a wave of relief come over him as he was closed in alone but his relief was short lived as a bulky man only a few inches taller than him in his early 20s entered mid way.

Gaara scooted to the front of the elevator as it began in motion once again. The man behind him took a long gaze at Gaara's back side. He audibly showed his interest.

"You ever took a dick in an elevator before", he said running a hand down Gaara's back. The elevator door opened and Gaara mumbled a 'no thanks' under the sounds of him scrambling out and into the hallway.

He walked up to Naruto's front door and saw the elevator take the brash older guy down to a lower floor. "I'm on the first floor if you change your mind", he said as his voice faded.

He knocked on Naruto's door and the butterflies frenzied in his stomach as he heard each lock be unlocked. The large door opened to reveal Naruto, who'd still not undressed from his press conference in the previous city.

He wore Armani shoes, black slacks with the fine stripes going down, a black leather belt and a black tank top.

"Hey", Gaara said nervously as he found himself being lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Naruto set him down, still saying nothing, and kissed him passionately as if they'd reunited after years of separation.

Naruto locked all of the many locks and pinned the red-head against the wall. "I missed you", was his sultry greeting that sent chills down Gaara's spine.

"I missed you too", Gaara said above a whisper as Naruto attacked his lips again. He could feel Naruto's hands running down his back, around and down into the valley of his lower back.

Gaara moaned generously when he felt Naruto grope him forcefully and bite into his neck.

"You smell so good", he complimented as he wrapped his strong arms around the younger boy and inhaled his Vanilla smelling hair and neck. Surprising Gaara, he grabbed both of his legs and wrapped them around his waist.

Gaara could feel Naruto's belt buckle against his heat making him whimper softly. Naruto looked at him with a sly smirk. Gaara's cat-like eyes drove him wild.

"Looks like somebody's happy to see you", Sakura interrupted with her arms folded across her bust. Gaara's eye widened as he frantically jumped down from Naruto's constrictive hold against he wall.

"Sakura! Hi!" He said straightening his composure. He expected her to give him a weird stare and yet, she came up to him and gave him a big hug. Gaara's mind went racing. _WTF! _

"Good to see you sweetheart", she said smiling at him. Gaara turned around and looked at Naruto who only shrugged. He saw Sasuke on the sofa with a beer watching TV, ignoring his presence completely.

_Ok, Gaara, swallow your pride and apologize...Wait, no! He's the one who said I look like a hooker and that I want Naruto's money, and I'm the one who has to apologize. This is some hardcore, class A bullshit._

Gaara walked over and stood near Sasuke's sitting form.

"I guess we kinda got off on the wrong foot so I'd better apologize"

"Don't bother, I'm over it"

Naruto scowled prevalently and stalked over. "Stop being a little fuck and take the damn apology", he barked making Sasuke's head turn. Sakura snickered softly in the background.

"Fine", he said taking another swig of beer. "Apology accepted".

Gaara giggled inaudibly behind his palm as Naruto winked over at him. Sakura decided to give Sasuke a little line for life and change the subject.

"So, Chinese, Italian, Southern, Mediterranean? I'm starving"

Gaara walked into the kitchen as Naruto's eyes following his swaying figure. "Actually, I was wondering if I could cook for you guys"

"You can cook?" Naruto inquired as he suddenly appeared inches from Gaara. The red-head took a few steps away and went into his bag and pulled out an apron.

"Is that hard to believe?"

"No no, It's just that...you can cook", he said not blinking.

"Yeah, I used to help my mother in the kitchen all the time", he said as he rummaged through the seasoning cabinet. "All of this stuff is still unwrapped".

"That's because he's never home", Sakura said snidely giving Naruto a 'and you know it's true' face.

"You can cook", Naruto repeated still in awe.

"Naruto are you ok?" Gaara asked giggling.

"You're cute and you can cook, he's sold", Sakura joked.

"Yeah and there's one more thing I want, I think he knows what it is", Naruto said smugly as he walked into the kitchen and slapped Gaara hard on the ass while he was bent over looking for a pan.

The red-head yelped softly making Naruto chuckle. Sakura shook her head in disdain.

"I feel so sorry for you Gaara", she said as he came up with a decent sized pan and looked at her with a curious expression.

"Why?"

"Because you have a horny 6'7, man incessantly poking you in the back with his dick", she said bluntly making Gaara burst into laughter.

"You're terrible"

"It's true. I honestly don't know how you aren't annoyed already"

Naruto smirked at her. "Jealous?"

"Oh please, I'd rather screw Bill O'Reilly", she said turning her head. "At least then I'd be angered by his racist, homophobic blabber and have something to debate afterwards"

Gaara laughed as he turned on the fire under the skillet.

"So Chef, what's on the menu tonight?" Naruto said leaning against the sink.

"Well, I was thinking about fried rice with pan grilled chicken, and maybe a little baked salmon, just for giggles", he said.

"Have I got a good one or what!" Naruto kissed the red-head on his neck making him laugh at the sensation of his low cut chin hair on his skin.

Sakura smiled genuinely at her best friend's display of affection. It made her even surer that this Gaara was real and in fact far more real that anyone she's seen him with. It warmed her heart to see him in love and that was clearly what it was; love.

Sakura went and sat down by the sofa and Naruto stayed in the kitchen. Gaara had already put the salmon in the oven, the chicken was done after about 30 minutes and he was still stirring around the rice.

Naruto wrapped his strong arms around Gaara's slim waist. Gaara smiled as he felt His broad pecks on his upper back and neck. He felt safe and warm in his embrace.

"Go away I'm trying to cook", he joked, not really wanting him to leave. Naruto buried his face in Gaara's neck just to get another sample of his attractive scent.

"No", he said into his neck. "You smell too good"

"You know I have to admit. It was kind of scary coming here by myself"

"That's exactly why you're never going anywhere by yourself for the rest of your life"

Gaara chuckled. "Thanks"

"You don't have to thank me", he said resting his head down on Gaara's shoulder. "I guess I like protecting you"

"The food's almost done"

"Let's not tell them"

"Why not?"

"I like holding you like this"

Gaara smiled to himself as basked in the warm safety of Naruto's arms.

Over by the TV Sakura looked over at them and cooed to herself. "Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?"

Sasuke grumbled in response.

Sakura boiled over. She scooted over to him and got close to him but far away enough as to avoid another event like the afternoon's.

"Ok, let me guess you think he should be with Charlotte again? Because there's NOBODY who makes him act like this", she whispered angrily.

"In fact yes, Charlotte has more going for herself, she's older, more mature and she's-"

"A woman?"

"That's not what I was about to say", Sasuke said looking away.

"Face it, you still can't accept the fact that he's bisexual", she accused.

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about"

Sakura looked at his as if he were pathetic. "I think I do", she said coldly.

Sasuke began to ignore her.

"Naruto would give you the shirt off of his back and you can't do something as little as be happy for him", she said at him.

"You're pathetic", she said striking a nerve in him. She got up and walked away as Gaara called everyone to eat much to Naruto's protest.

Gaara whipped off his apron and wiped his hands with the towel by the sink as everyone took their seats.

He surveyed his worked displayed across the counter and thought of his mother, he hadn't seen her in so long. He missed his own home dearly as well.

At the table in the middle of the loft Gaara brought everybody there plate before fixing his own food. As he left to get back to the kitchen, Naruto turned to speak to Sasuke who currently was laden with guilt.

"Hey Hot Sas'", he said calling him by his childhood nick name. "Sorry about snapping at you like that earlier"

He didn't respond.

"I know you didn't say much but thanks for being ok tonight, pal", he said giving him a hard pat on the back.

"And Sakura, damn girl you came around so fast, I almost forgot you didn't like him to begin with", he said as they both laughed.

"Don't mention it, all I care about is that you're happy honey", she said pinching his cheek.

Sakura looked at him across the table. Sasuke avoided her eyes and picked ate food before him.

Gaara came back with his own plate only to see that there were only three chairs. "Crap", he said looking around for an extra chair.

"I guess I'll go sit on the sofa for now", he said about to walk away when an bulky arm grabbed him and pulled him back.

"No you're not", Naruto said.

"Yes I am"

"No you're not"

"Yes I am"

"No you're not"

"Yes I am"

"No you're not"

"Are we really gonna do this?"

"Yes because you're no sitting on the sofa", he said scooting his chair and stretching out his long legs. He patted his left thigh motioning for him to sit on his lap. Gaara reluctantly sat down on Naruto's mid section.

The QB ate with his long arms around Gaara's waist.

The table was initially silent as Gaara beamed at the people eating his food diligently. Little did he know, everyone ate his food as a distraction for the elephant in the room that was their relationship and the subject of Charlotte being at the airport; and the fact that Gaara was the only person who didn't know her.

Naruto decided to lighten the mood. "This feel like a good position for later?"

Sakura nearly choked on her salmon.

"Smooth", Sasuke said as he began to feel a little better.

"And what makes you so sure that there's even going to be a 'later'?"

"I have a knack for this type of stuff"

"Well, I think your knack needs a little tune up", Gaara said taking a bite of the food he made. Sakura laughed heartily.

"Damn, he's good", she complimented as she took a sip of wine. As Sasuke and Sakura laughed, Naruto whispered something into Gaara's ear that made a red tint creep into his cheeks.

After the food was devoured and the dishes were put up, Gaara rummaged through his bag for something to sleep in. Naruto came up behind him and grabbed him by his waist.

He still wasn't quite used to being pursued by someone of Naruto's notoriety.

"Sasuke and Sakura are asleep and I'm about to hop in the shower", he said in an inviting tone.

"And?" Gaara said sarcastically. As he found a short pair of shorts and a small t-shirt, he found Naruto without a shirt, his hairy and chiseled chest greeting him.

"Are you gonna come quietly or am I going to have to use excessive force", he said smugly.

Gaara giggled. "You sound like a stripper at a bachelorette party", he said laughing softly. Suddenly he found himself being hoisted over Naruto's shoulder and into his bed room. Naruto closed the bedroom door behind them.

Gaara yelped softly as Naruto tossed him onto the bed. "Ow! I'm not a football you know"

"You hop in first; I'll catch up in a sec"

Gaara got up and pranced into the bathroom. "I'm still not sure if I want you to see me naked", he joked playfully.

"That's the least of your worries"

"Don't be too long, you might just get locked out", Gaara said closing the door a little as he stripped down out of his clothes. His dialogue was flirtatious but the butterflies in his stomach were going mad in his stomach.

Naruto looked at his phone.

_1 unread message_

_Charlotte M._

_I hope one day you'll change your mind, baby._

Naruto tossed the device aside and stripped out of his clothes before tossing them in the straw basket in the corner. He walked into the bathroom to see, fishnet, shorts, a t-shirt, a wrist clamp on the floor.

Opening the foggy door, it revealed the most gorgeous sight he'd ever laid eyes on. Gaara was rinsing out his hair with his back turned to Naruto. He couldn't give up on his body, shining wet before him.

The shower was fairly large and Gaara turned around with a sly smile that complimented his cat-like eyes that drove Naruto wild. He grabbed the soap bar and bathed himself as well to take care of business initially.

He grabbed Gaara by his slim waist and backed him up into the shower wall; he winced at the sensation on his back. Naruto kissed him madly, as the hot water ran down Gaara's back.

The QB kissed down his neck and bit down in a new spot making him give a satisfying moan. Passion took control when Gaara ran his had down the hairy torso and hovered his hands about the throbbing loin near his hand.

Not a word was spoken when Naruto ran his hands down Gaara's back and grabbed him by his legs before wrapping them around his waist. He looked the red-head in his eyes.

"Are you ready for me?"

Gaara's spine tingled just at the proposition.

"Take me", he breathed softly under the hot water. As Naruto pulled a condom down from the top of the shower wall, Gaara couldn't hide what he wanted to say, something he waited to say to someone deserving.

"Naruto?"

"What?" He answered as he rolled the protection onto his heated loin.

"I love you"

Naruto felt as if his eyes had been opened after a month of being blind.

"I love you too", he said before kissing the red-head passionately. Those words allowed him to breathe again, for he wouldn't be able to go on if those three words weren't uttered back to him.

Gaara winced tightly as his heat was entered for the first time in his life. He felt like he was being torn to shreds inside until his heat was willing enough to let Naruto in. He gasped at the sensation of his inner walls being massaged gently.

He wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck as he slowly slid in and out of him. Gaara cried the older man's name with every entrance.

Deeper and deeper the QB drove as the legs around his waist tightened, giving him better access to the goldmine that was Gaara's precious love. He grunted hoarsely as he could feel Gaara's walls tightening and loosening around his manhood.

The pleasure overwhelmed the younger lover as his eyes threatened to roll back at the feeling of Naruto dividing him.

He called the older man's name louder as his cries were ornamented with soft moans against the wall and Naruto begging him to hold on for just a little longer. Gaara tightened his legs as Naruto began to go deeper into him.

He completely submerged his enormous length into Gaara's making him all but scream Naruto's name.

He quickened his pace, making the red-head's cry waver in sound.

Naruto begging him to hang on for just a little while longer began to whisper blissfully into his ear. "Quit fighting me", he said as he felt one last barrier that just wouldn't give.

"Let me in", he said as he dived in as deep as Gaara's heat was making him arch his back in euphoria.

Naruto began to grunt loudly as his climax drew near.

Before Gaara could imagine what the sensation would feel like, warmth filled his cove and he cried Naruto's name one last time.

He slowly slid out of Gaara and yanked off the dripping protection. Gaara was still trying to catch his breath. Naruto turned the water off and kissed Gaara fully again, giving the last bit of his virginity to the blonde haired man.

"That was ...", Gaara said still trying to catch his breath. "Wow"

Naruto smirked down at his as he unlatched himself from Naruto's waist. He wobbled to his feet at first making Naruto chuckle as he opened the shower door. Gaara grabbed on to Naruto's bulky arm for support as he dried himself off in front of the mirror.

The red-head was about to bend over to pick up his t-shirt when Naruto stopped him.

"I want to feel you next to me tonight", he said scooping Gaara up into his arms and carrying him to the bed. It was a feeling of safety and comfort as Naruto climbed in bed and Gaara painted himself onto Naruto's right side.

Gaara was carried off to sleep by the warmth from Naruto's bare and hairy chest. He only wondered, would things be the same in the morning.

_**In the morning**_

_**Will you be there in the morning?**_

_**To love me, love me**_

_**Love me...**_

* * *

><p>The next morning, 6:30 a.m.<p>

The sun was barely up and the soft sounds of the elevator being used could be heard from inside Naruto's loft as Sakura slowly opened her eyes. She looked over to see that Sasuke had already left.

_Probably went to the gym to work off some guilt, _she reasoned to herself as she got up from the leather sofa and went to the guest bathroom across the hall to get dressed.

The fair haired woman was not always a very strong believer in a woman's intuition, but even she had to admit that she could feel that something was wrong. It was the same feeling that one would get while watching a house of cards fall, yet in a more amplified manner.

Once in the guest bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was neatly confined under a pink and frilly night cap that she relied on to shield the world's eyes from her contemptible morning hair.

She stripped out of her clothes and enclosed herself behind the shower curtain underneath a steady stream of hot and soothing water as she let the hot liquid clean her for the forth coming day.

She let her mind slowly drift off to Gaara, her strange feeling from before led her thoughts to the red-headed youth for a reason that was more than foreign to her at the moment.

Minding the possibility of being a hypocrite, she wondered what Naruto would be like if he'd never met Gaara.

_Well that's easy. He'd still be club hopping every night with Sasuke and the team; landing countless women on their beds and hotel beds, and disregarding every law of decency known to civilized man_

_Some things never change._

As she lathered the cinnamon-vanilla soap in her hands and over her body she let her mind travel back to the way things used to be before professional football.

_Flashback_

_A young 17 year old girl stood by her locker with her books in hand; waiting._

_The bell rang loudly above her head as student began pouring out of their classrooms. She watched them go by._

_Many of them were either on their way to football game, getting dressed to perform at halftime or heading to the locker rooms. _

_It always amazed her how Friday night football was the one thing that high school students looked forward to at the end of a week rather than many more potentially important things that youth had to offer._

_Pride was present when she looked down at her cheer uniform, all the girls chose to wear theirs every Friday._

_A much taller boy with spiky black hair came walking leisurely out of one of the classrooms and looked down at her with fond eyes._

_She never claimed to be apart of a cliché but the thought was nice. They kissed as a disgruntled AP walk by. _

"_You ready for tonight?"_

_She nodded. "Football game? Yes. Your place tonight? If you win", she said slyly. _

_He smirked at her. _

_Another taller boy came from the same room._

"_When will I ever be able to turn the corner and not see you two drooling over each other?"_

_They both gave him the finger._

_Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "Are we still on for this Saturday?"_

"_Yep"_

"_Yeah, but not too late this time", Naruto said dejectedly._

"_Don't tell me, 'Practice now, be a fucking star later'", Sakura imitated Minato's deep voice._

"_Yep, that's him"_

"_No offense, but your dad's a prick"_

"_Go easy on him; he just wants me to make something of myself"  
><em>

"_By depriving you of a social life"_

"_Don't get tit twisted, I still hold the MGF record at this school", Naruto defended with a smirk._

_Sakura looked at him with a puzzled expression. "MGF?"_

"_Most girls fucked", the two boys said in unison._

"_You guys are sick, you know that"_

"_Jealous?"_

"_Get real; sooner shall I seduce Principle Langley than be jealous of two big man-sluts"_

_Sasuke smirked. "You said it, not me"_

_A group of girls walked past the three of them. A few of them winked over at Naruto who only gazed back with want in his blue eyes. _

_Sakura rolled her eyes and headed to the cheer room. "I'll catch you two later"_

Sakura finished blow-drying her hair and slipped into her business suit that she ironed the night before.

Once completely dressed she erupted from the guest bathroom and began to pack her things for a flight that she needed to be on time for in the next few hours.

The sun was a bit more visible as she poked her head inside Naruto's bedroom to tell him that she was leaving.

She smiled to herself at the sight before her.

Naruto was sprawled across the bed and Gaara was curled next to him with his smaller hands placed delicately across Naruto's chest. She decided not to wake them until Naruto opened his eyes to see him about to leave.

"Leaving?" He asked yawning in bed.

"Yeah, I have a plane to catch", she said giggling.

"What's so funny?"

"You two are just too cute!"

"Get out of here crazy lady", he said rolling over and wrapping his arms around Gaara's sleeping form. "Call me when you land".

Sakura walked out, still laughing to herself.

_One down, one to go. _She thought as she walked out of the door and used Naruto's spare key to lock it behind her.

After riding the elevator and walking out to the parking garage where Martin was located, she could've have sworn that she saw a woman with long brilliant brown hair that bounced gently as she walked, looking at her from afar.

_Was that...? _She looked back in the same direction and the woman was gone.

_This the last time I go without my morning coffee. _

As Martin drove off into the busy morning street, she noticed that the feeling that something was wrong had only intensified; she only wished she had enough time to stay a while until it went away.

The two lovers stayed in bed for about one more hour and Gaara parted his sleepy eyelids to see that Naruto was in the bathroom. Steam gently floated from under the door and dissipated before long.

He had another pair of sniny black Armani shoes laid out and Gaara remembered that he said that he had a charity event for underprivileged high school sports programs to attend later that morning.

Gaara sighed as his mind flooded with the previous nights events. He felt so safe as the morning reminder coupled with the smell of the older man's intoxicating cologne coming from behind the door.

Gaara pulled the sheet off of himself, revealing his still naked body. He walked over to his bag in the corner and slipped in a tight pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and a checkered scarf that he draped around his neck.

Walking into the kitchen, there was a modest knock on the door before Gaara could reach the kitchen for something to eat before he had to leave and pay a few bills.

"Can you get that?" Naruto shouted from inside the bathroom.

"Yeah", Gaara said as he unlocked the many locks on the door. The large barrier revealed a woman about his height in heels and a pencil skirt. She had shining brown hair and captivating eyes.

"Hi", the younger man said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, as he could have sworn he'd seen her before

"Hello, I'm Charlotte", she said shaking his hand genuinely. "A friend of Naruto's. Is he in?"

"Yes, he's getting dressed", Gaara's sense of awareness heightened. "Is he expecting you?"

"Actually, yes he is", she said inching closer to the entrance of the doorway. "If you don't mind"

"Sure, come in", he said stepping aside and letting her into the abode. He stared at the woman strangely as she inhaled and exhaled the scent of the place as if she'd returned home after a million years.

"So you said you're a friend of Naruto's?" Gaara inquired.

"Well...", she paused as tears began to well up in her eyes. "At least that's what we used to be".

Gaara scurried over to the kitchen counter and retrieved a tissue. She grabbed it from him and thanked him.

"I know it isn't any of my business, but what happened exactly?"

"Oh no, I don't mind telling you. How do you know him?" She sniffled into the white cloth.

"Well I guess you can call me a... friend too"

"Well, we used to date and...", she paused to wipe her tears. "It started about 3 or 4 years ago..."

Gaara felt his stomach sink.

After a few more words were exchanged, student was too through with being a secret hidden from plain sight.

Gaara's teeth were clenched in a sour mixture of hurt, anger, disbelief and a haunting feeling of being lost. He excused himself from the woman and went into the bedroom to see Naruto just coming out of the bathroom.

"Who was that?" Naruto inquired with alarm in his voice as he saw Gaara angrily shoving a few stray items into his bag on the floor.

"Gaara", he called again and the red-head only stared into the taller man's blue eyes, tears coated the black outlining of his sea-foam-green eyes. Naruto had never seen such an expression pointed at him before.

"Gaara, who were you just talking to out there?" He tried to reach and touch him but Gaara only fiercely slapped his hand away.

He glared ever harder at the older man. "Your wife has something she wants to tell you", he said with his voice completely void of emotion and simply walked out of the room with his bag over his shoulder.

Naruto went after him with a sour feeling in his stomach. He wished he could take back so many things from the past when he saw that same woman with luscious brown hair waiting for him with tears in her eyes.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gaara storm out of the front door. He tried to run after him but Charlotte yanked him back.

"What the hell did you tell him?" He barked back at her. Veins were present on his temples.

Charlotte swallowed. "I didn't want you to find out like this but..."

"WHAT?"

"We have a child"

* * *

><p>About 45 minutes later, Gaara's unit<p>

The red head burst through the ragged door and began grabbing miscellaneous items out of his dresser in a flurry of blind rage and tears.

The city life was becoming too much for him and he had to leave, leave and go back to something kind and something he was used to.

He grabbed Fred and placed him a kennel along with a few suitcases in hand coupled with a wad of money from underneath his mattress.

He fled out the door and went back to the bus before it left to another stop. People looked at him strangely on the bus when he arrived with so much stuff.

The large vehicle departed to the airport and Gaara' mind still couldn't comprehend; all he could do was flee. Flee to somewhere where he could sort things out and truly be there.

_**Love is so blind it feels right when it's wrong...**_


	5. still

Songs: Brittany Bosco - It Was You, Mary J. Blige - No More Drama, Beyonce - Resentment/Still in Love, Faith Evans - You Used to Love Me, Monica and Brandy - The Boy is Mine.

For those who are thinking that I posted 4 & 5 really close together, it's because I felt really bad for waiting almost 3 months to update. So much has been going on and I really hated to leave you guys waiting for so long. I was reading an article on gays in the NFL and I was nearly in tears. The writer, who did the article, interviewed an actual professional football player who was in the closet. The player was very paranoid about being found out, so in the article they gave him a pseudonym to mask his identity. He went on to explain that he entered and exited relationships with females publicly, but privately he had e few relationships with men and actually had a relationship with another player whose name wasn't in the article. It just breaks my heart to hear what closeted NFL players have to endure just to be able to do what they love. Another man, Esera Tuaolo, who has retired from the NFL, came out a short while ago after he retired. He speaks to rookies about acceptance and equality in order to prevent what happened to him from happening to any player who might be in the closet. He wrote in his book, 'Alone in the Trenches', that some of the things said in the locker rooms about gays made him fear for his life. I cried when he said that because it's a mockery of love & equality for someone to have to hide who they are just so they don't lose the privilege to do what they love to do. And that's exactly what will happen. If a professional football player were to come out while still playing, he would most likely lose all of his endorsements, lose most of his fan base, be drafted out of the team and if not that his life would be hell in the locker room and on the field. They must hide their identity for try-outs because most coaches will not recruit a gay or bisexual player. One coach who shall remain nameless claims that he was 'looking out for the morale of his team'. Oh yeah right, while your straight players are out stuffing money into g-strings at the strip club. Excuse me if I'm ranting, but some people in charge of the world of NFL really get under my skin. Now, I know what I'm about to say is silly and who I'm about to address is probably not even listening. **To any professional football coaches who have denied a gay player the chance at his lifetime, you sir are both a hypocrite and coward. You call yourself looking out for the morale of the team, but you and I both know that is a just a sorry ass cover to hide your own pathetic homophobia. The things you say and do act as a gun wielded above the trembling face of hope and the will to dream of a better life ~**

* * *

><p>A terminal in a busy late morning airport, 11:00<p>

Time was at a stand still for Gaara but the large digital clock hanging over the counter kept on moving for everyone else.

Many people in the airport were arriving instead of departing making Gaara feel even more alone as he sat looking through the glass that displayed the large planes moving about slowly on the wide lanes marked with lights and men with bright sticks.

His mind was still spinning, then more then ever, over the ordeal that had just unfolded before his eyes; only he wasn't concerned about what happened, but more with that it happened so long ago and he wasn't told.

The amount of more than significant events that took place before he even came into the picture began to make him fee like a meaningless, insignificant, unimportant by-stander, just there for the show.

In a way he almost enjoyed being in the dark. At least then he could feel the warmth of Naruto's arms and not be able to see Charlotte standing afar, watching them in a sharp and ferocious envy that he still wasn't quite aware of..

He had already placed Fred, in his plush kennel, and his suit case with the cargo and held his usual messenger bag with a trembling hand in the plastic seat.

_**I never imagined that this could be you**_

_**I never thought I would find someone so real **_

_**How I want you (how I want you)**_

_**How I need you (how I need you)**_

_**In my life **_

_**(in my life)**_

It was then when he could finally stop to think and absorb all that happened in the last month.

He'd captured the eye of the greatest athlete in the country, sat in a box seat a professional football game, met his parents one of whom took a strong dislike to him, one of who loved him to pieces, met his friends, slept with him and discovered that he had a child with another woman whom he failed to finalize a divorce with.

Not to mention being shot at, harassed, beat up and nearly raped in an alley. Although quite boring and mundane, he had grown to like his older life more as time with Naruto went by.

It soon became frustrating for his emotions to be tossed around like a toy every day.

He hoped by going where he was going would put a stop to his constant headaches and fears at night. He picked up his phone and pressed a few spaces on the screen before putting it up to his ear.

As the phone rang and he waited for the other line to pick up, he momentarily hated himself for wondering what Naruto was doing at the moment. _I wonder if he's looking for me. He's probably talking things over with his wife, _he thought spitefully.

Tears began to make tributaries down his face at the mental picture of Naruto and his son outside tossing around the football in a beautiful backyard as Charlotte gazed from nearby at her happy family. _I've no place in that; He made that pretty fucking clear._

"_Hello?"_

"Mom?" His voice shook like a bridge about to collapse over troubled water.

"_Darling what's wrong?" Worry laced her voice._

"Is it ok if I come and stay with you for a little while?" Gaara used his wrist to wipe the tears from his sea foam green eyes.

"_Child, you know you don't have to ask", she assured. "Do you need some money for a flight or a train ticket?"_

"No, I'm already in the terminal. They had an extra flight into Atlanta", Gaara said as that damned picture of Naruto's family wouldn't leave him be.

"_What happened?"_

"Is it ok if I tell you when if get there?" He asked grimly as his face became soaked with tears. "I'm not even sure If I know what happened"

"_Sure, sweetheart. I'll see you when you get here"_

Gaara hung up and held the device in his hands with shaking hands. It finally began to sink in what was really going on for the last month. It all became clear to him what everyone was trying to tell him.

_Naruto still loves her despite whatever she did so he didn't finalize the divorce, Charlotte can't raise their son alone, Sasuke was trying to get their family back together for their son, I was only getting in the way._

_Sakura must think Charlotte's the real gold digger. Minato wants a grandson and probably doesn't know that he has one. Kushina probably doesn't think that the child is Naruto's._

_That only leaves on problem. _

_Me. _

Gaara got up from his seat when the voice on the intercom called out 'flight 297 to Atlanta is now boarding'. He flipped his messenger bag over his shoulder and walked up to the counter and handed to man his boarding pass.

He felt like he was leaving a world that pushed and shoved him for too long and too hard.

_**Broken heart again, another lesson learned**_

_**Better know your friends or else you will get burned**_

_**Gotta count on me**_

'_**Cause I can guarantee that I'll be fine...**_

Gaara's head hung low as he walked through the tunnel into the plane and settled into his seat near the window. He tried not to let the man next to him know that he was crying. All before he felt like he was in control of the situation and he found out the opposite was true in a harsh way.

He no longer could control how he felt. _If I love Naruto, I'll let him go back to his wife and son. I don't have anything to offer him anymore. Hm, it was nice while it lasted though._

He put a hand to his face as the remaining passengers got onto the plane and wondered if he would ever be foolish enough to let his heart think for him again.

_**No more drama in my life, no one's gonna make me hurt again...**_

* * *

><p>Naruto's loft, 11:45<p>

"So you mean to tell me that I really have a son?"

He looked across at her on the sofa. Charlotte sat with her palms in her lap, not wanting to look the older man in his eyes.

"It's true", she paused for a moment. "He has your name".

Naruto got up from his sitting position and began to pace the floor as he ran a hand through his blonde hair, His Armani shoes clocked onto the wooden floors. He turned to look at her.

"Now are you positive that this kid is mine and not one of the guys you slept with?"

"I took the pregnancy test before the fact"

"I swear Charlotte if you're lying to me-"

"I'm not lying!" She stressed. "Why would I lie about something like this?"

Naruto sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get like that"

"I understand, I haven't exactly made myself very trust-worthy during the course of our relationship".

"..."

"..."

"When can I see him? Is he in LA?"

"He's with my mother right now", she smiled to herself. "He's been dying to meet you"

Naruto's worried expression began to bend into one of pride. "Really?"

"Oh, you should've seen his face light up when he found out that his father was the 'bullet'", she said feeling fine and good.

"Can I see him?"

"I'll have to call my mother to see if they're back from Florida, we might have to go tomorrow"

"Sure, go ahead", he said with excitement brewing in his voice. Charlotte got up from her seat and went into the kitchen to call her mother. Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that he shouldn't be how he was.

His feelings for Charlotte began to melt as his wondering mind couldn't let go of the thought that there was a smaller version of him walking around. It changed everything and made nothing the same.

_I have a son..._

* * *

><p>A quiet taxi cab driving away from the airport, 10:00<p>

The streets passed by with great dullness as Gaara let his head rest against the window of the yellow checkered car that was just pulling out of the parking garage of the Atlanta airport.

"Where to?" The driver asked looking at Gaara tired and sullen form in the back seat.

"Baker St."

The driver did a double take at the red head in the back seat. His hair wisped in the stream of air from the vent in front of him. His entire body was rested upon the back of the seat. He could've sworn he saw a rose wilting in the back seat.

_**And I love you, more than music**_

_**Yes I love you more than music**_

_**I'd rather be kissing you, forever and ever and ever**_

_**Kissing you...**_

He brushed the obvious comparison off and refocused his eyes on the road.

Gaara sighed to himself. He couldn't get over how tired and worn he was from the last month. His emotions were fried. His feet were sore from standing on them for countless hours at school, running for his life and safety, working overtime and getting on and off busses morning, noon and night

All he could think about was going into his mother's guest room in her new house and falling into a deep sleep; a place where he didn't have to worry about heartbreak, wives, friends, disapproving parents, guns or LA.

The taxi cab turned another corner bringing them closer to Karura's house.

He'd stopped worrying if Naruto was looking for him or not. His heart sank at the fact that after nearly 12 hours of running away, the man who said he loved him hadn't even called to see if he was ok.

But that was the real question. _Does he really love me? Did he ever love me?_

The images of the position they were in when Naruto mustered those words came back to him. The truth became perfectly clear to him at that moment and a different kind of tears began to fall from his eyes.

A new world of emotions became real to him.

They were tears of pity for one's self, for being stupid and naïve. They were tears that reminded him of two of the most valuable things that Gaara could've given away; his heart and his virginity.

One of which he was uncertain as to whether he'd ever get it back. The tears that made the A/C just a little too cold reminded him of the fact that he'd never get his heart back. It was forever trapped in Naruto's hands.

He felt helpless.

The taxi cab driver stopped at a red light before the entrance to his mother's neighborhood. On the sidewalk, a family consisting of a man, woman and a baby in a stroller walked briskly on the sidewalk with a precious glow around them.

Gaara looked at himself in the reflection of the window in front of him. He wanted to be angry at the man he loved but couldn't bring himself to be. He was mostly angry at himself. But not for blindly giving himself away.

He was angry from unknowingly keeping a family apart from each other, for causing a mother to have to raise a child on her own, for keeping a father away from his pride and joy. He felt hurt, but mostly guilt.

He wasn't entirely sure if it was dignified, but he did indeed feel like a criminal. He felt like a home wrecker. While Naruto was making love to him he could've well been with his wife. The woman everyone saw fit for him.

His mind went back to the way Charlotte burst into tears at the mention of her struggle with Naruto Jr.

All of Minato's and Sasuke's insults began to infiltrate him again, only this time he let them in as he began to believe them to be true. At first he brushed off their words as homophobia that he was destined to deal with.

Only presently 'slut', 'fag' and 'gold digger' had credibility and hat tore him up inside.

_**I've been crying way too long, what did you do to me?**_

_**I used to be so strong, but now you took my soul**_

_**I'm crying, I'm crying, can't stop crying...**_

The taxi cab driver pulled to a stop at the corner near his mother's house and Gaara pulled Fred out from the other side of the back seat and went around to the trunk to retrieve his suitcase before paying the driver.

The driver wished him a good evening and was on his way. Gaara walked slowly with his life in his hands down the side walk. Fred whimpered from being in the kennel for so long.

"Where almost there, buddy", he reassured as he sniffled from his realizations and reflections in the cab. His head had already started to pound from his continuous flow of tears that day.

The bag over his shoulder and the suitcase rolling behind him began to take their toll as he got closer and closer to the front door.

When he approached the front door and rang the door bell he finally felt like he was in a place that welcomed him and didn't shun him away because of his sexuality or the way he dressed or where he worked or where he lived or how much money he was after.

The door opened to reveal a woman about an inch shorter that Gaara with gorgeous eyes and a welcoming smile.

Gaara dropped everything to find himself engulfed in her arms. It was then when he felt at home. He hadn't seen his mother in almost 1 ½ years and couldn't be anymore happy to see her than he was.

They both cried tears of emotion as they squeezed each other.

"My baby!" She exclaimed as she grabbed his face and kissed him all over his face profusely. She stopped to take an actual look at his face. The brim of his nose was purple from the internal bleeding, his eyes were red and puffy from crying and there were small bite marks all over his neck.

There was a small scar on his leg from when the bullet grazed him that could be seen through the tear in his jeans near the lower left calf.

"My goodness, come inside", she said taking his suit case and letting him into the home. It smelled of fried chicken, homemade fries and her famous homemade salad dressing. She placed his suitcase by the door before closing and locking it.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"The question is, what didn't happen to me", Gaara said as the first happy words of that day crossed his lips. Gaara opened Fred's kennel door and the poodle/daschund mix pranced around her feet.

"And who is this?" She picked up the small canine and cooed in his face. "You're so cute!"

"This is Fred", Gaara said as the melancholy began to fill his form again. His mother looked at this face again and realized that he wasn't home under visiting pretences. She led him and the dog to the kitchen table.

She let the dog out into the back yard and she and Gaara sat down at the kitchen table. Gaara put his phone down next to his hands on the table and his mother took the seat next to him.

"Ok, tell me everything", she stressed.

Then came the flow of events the shooting, the fighting, the love making, the lying, the crying, the news, the blues, the shame, the guilt, the pain that he could feel, the parents, the insults, the slurs, the sneers and all in between.

After all was said, all Gaara could do was weep into his mother's shoulder, the only shoulder he had at that point.

"I love him", Gaara said as the tears in his eyes gleaming in the light. "I fucking hate it, but I love him"

* * *

><p>A phone conversation, 11:00<p>

"_Hello?"_

"Hey ma, it's Naruto"

"_Naruto? Why are you up so late don't you have practice in the morning?"_

"Never mind that, I've got great news"

"_What is it?"_

"You and dad are grandparents!"

"_...we are?"_

"Yeah, it turns out that Charlotte was pregnant before we separated and never told me until today"

"_That's a pretty big secret to keep for five years, don't you think?" Kushina said doubting Charlotte's credibility heavily._

"Ma, I know what you're thinking and I don't blame you but this time she's telling the truth, I swear"

"_Well, in that case, I'm happy for you!" She exclaimed, trying her best to hide the fact that she had a feeling that Charlotte was lying._

"I'm going to see him tomorrow"

"_Do tell me how it goes", she said in a feigned voice. "By the way, how's your friend doing, um...Gaara! That's his name. How's he been lately?"_

"Well he sort of ran off when Charlotte showed up this morning", Naruto said, not wanting to be on the subject.

"_Was he upset?"_

"You might see the correlation but...", he paused. "The night before, we sort of had sex and-"

"_WHAT?"_

"I hadn't got any in weeks what would you expect me to do"

"_He's 19!"_

"I thought you were ok with that!"

"_I was, as long as you two were DATING! I didn't mean I was on board with you forcing yourself on him"_

"In my defense, it was consentual"

"_I don't give a damn about your defense!"_

"What do you want me to say!"

"_Let me get this straight. For the last month, you've led on a 19 y.o. college student, introduced him to us and your friends, took his virginity, allowed your ex-wife to come in and tell you she popped a baby on the slick side, WATCHED him run out and you haven't so much as called him"_

"Look, I know it sounds bad, but put yourself in my shoes. I have son! Doesn't that mean anything to you!"

"_He told you he loved you, didn't he?" She said as more of a statement than a question._

"..."

"_He did, didn't he?"_

"Yeah", Naruto said as guilt started to set in. "He did".

"_How could you?"_

"..."

"_This boy had nothing to give you but love and he gave it to you, and you threw it away just because of the words of mouth"_

"..."

"_And then you get so wrapped up that you don't even care to call him to see if he's ok with you having a son"_

Naruto sighed. "You know what ma; I'll just talk to you later"

"_Why? Because I'm making you feel guilty? That's one thing you get from your father. You run from the truth"_

"No, because I called expecting my mother to be happy for me!"

"_Well guess what Dad! While you're enjoying you little happiness, you just SNATCHED it away from someone else!"_

"..."

"_And unlike your father, I refuse condone you turning your back on people who really care about you", she said and hung up in Naruto's face._

Naruto took the phone from his ear and ran a hand through his hair.

_What the fuck is going on?_

* * *

><p>An empty room in a shanty building across from Gaara's apartment complex 3:30<p>

"I'm in"

Georges Montevallo beamed with pride as he put together a brand new gun. The building was old and about five or six homeless men and women slept in the rooms, almost all of which were infested with rats and roaches.

He stood in the room on the second floor that had a perfect view of the red headed teen's apartment window.

His protégé, a young man of about 23 years stood aloof in the corner watching with eager eyes as his teacher and model assassin set up his equipment with other-worldly precision.

Georges tapped a small device in his ear to further hear the voice on the other line. The young student walked closer the gun standing on the tripod as it pointed out of an open window.

The master wiped sweat from his face.

"_Perfect, now let's get this shit over with". Minato hung up and leaned back in his chair in his study. A victory was what he had, what he had indeed against love and joy, yet there was no remorse for those blemished._

The young protégé ran his hand across the shaft of the mastery of machinery. Georges chuckled at his curiosity.

"She arrived this morning from our home country", he said looking through the ocular. "Steel hard enough to shatter a brick but her shot is quieter than the blink of an eye"

His vision moved towards the view of Gaara's window. According to Minato's instruction, the red head was supposed to be leaving at that time to go to work in about a minute or two.

They waited for about an hour and not a single sound emitted from the micro-receptors that the protégé planted around Gaara's unit. The only sound that was made was the silent hum of the many air conditioning units throughout the building.

They waited another hour, they were both drenched in sweat. Georges began to grow impatient. One thing he hated about doing jobs for Minato was that he always ended up having to take extra steps.

"Why isn't he coming out?" The protégé asked looking across the street at the apartment building.

"That's a good question..."

Georges tapped the device in his ear again and waited until his client picked up.

"_What"_

"Your son's little boy-toy isn't home"

"_What the hell do you mean he's not home!"_

"He's not home. We've been here for three hours"

"_Fuck! Where did that little bitch run off to?" _

"Look, I've got other clients. I don't have the time to play hide and seek! Call me when you KNOW WHERE HE IS!"

Georges hung up and took his equipment apart and the two f them exited the building. The two f them got into the shiny silver vehicle and sped down the road to their next job. The master looked at his student.

"Let this be a lesson Giorgio", he said calling hi student by his childhood name.

The boy looked over to him.

"Never let your friends coerce you into doing them favors unless they throw in an extra 100k", he said as they both laughed bowlingly down the busy afternoon street.

* * *

><p>A grand estate near Beverly Hills around 7:00<p>

The sun began to go down as a black sports car raced up the spiraling driveway of a large estate that was similar in size to Naruto's parents' but much different as far as design and modernity.

Charlotte clasped her hands together in her lap as she sat nervously in the driver's seat. It was something about the expression on Naruto's face that made her feel like she was home again.

It made her feel like time was giving her a gentle reminder of the times when he would pull up and whisk her away during his rookie years. It reminded her of her family that she always wanted.

They reached the lot in front of the front door and they both got out with anticipation and anticipation for the other.

Naruto walked behind Charlotte to the front doors of the mansion. He looked over at his legal wife and a smile graced his face at her for the first time in almost what felt like forever and a few days.

She smile back up at him as she took a pair of keys out of her purse and unlocked the door to reveal a large and wide home that had a gold and burgundy color scheme. The furniture was modest but dignified and the aura that filled the house felt like that of a dream sequence.

"It looks so much bigger since the last time I was here", he said in awe as he walked into the large living room.

"My father did some renovations since then"

"Naruto!" A petite woman with brilliantly shining brown hair like her daughter came from a round the corner with a warm smile and a pair of open arms, she and Naruto shared an embrace for the first time since the two of them met for the first.

"My goodness I can't even turn on the TV anymore without hearing about you", she complimented with a chuckle.

"I love what you guy's have done with this place", he said looking around more as she lead him around the corner where the beginning of the spiraling staircase was located. Charlotte followed closely behind.

"Oh, we just made a few changes, nothing big", she said. They reached the top of the stairs and the three of them came up to a door leading into the media room. Someone could be heard watching TV inside.

Mary smiled at her legal son-in-law with anticipation. She opened the door and they all walked in. On one of the burgundy media seats was a small boy of about 5 years and bright blonde hair much like Naruto's.

He advanced as Mary called out to him. "Junior, there's somebody here to see you".

The small boy turned around to see the man who his grandfather watched play football on TV and his face lit up with joy. The little boy ran up to Naruto and stood before him for a few moments.

Naruto knelt down and looked into the boy's eyes as his own filled with pride.

"Are you my dad?"

Naruto wrapped his arms around the child. "Yeah, son", he said with a joy that made Charlotte's heart clench. "I'm your dad"

He let just to look the boy in his eyes. Blue matched blue and blonde matched blonde. He saw more, much more of himself in him but could shake the feeling that this child would have a mind and strive of his own.

_My boy..._

* * *

><p>A park bench in the Georgia heat, 7:00 p.m.<p>

Gaara sat on the worn but sturdy wooden seat in front of the beautiful trail that was habituated with many families, singles and elderly taking a brisk walk in the afternoon.

_Dear diary,_

_You won't believe how much has happened since the last time we spoke. My head is still spinning from the last year and a half. I think it best that I start from the beginning. _

_I got accepted into the university I wanted to go to, but I guess there's always a bad for every good. I had to get a job. Even still I'm always broke. I can't even afford to buy clothes anymore. _

_All I have to wear are those skimpy outfits that Aunt Meira got for a steal at the gas station. I make enough to afford food, school and the rent for a unit in the projects. I know, it sounds bad but it safe-ish, close to school and dirt cheap._

_I got harassed by this creepy gangster guy at the grocery store and he's been bothering me ever since. His name is Paul but it should be Pest. Ugh! That guy gets under my skin; just gross!_

_I found an abandoned puppy in an old tissue box in alley by my job; I fell in love with him immediately. I took him to get groomed and vaccinated as soon as I got a free check. I named him Fred, I found him when he was small enough to fit in my hand._

_Speaking of check, I got a job at this pub in downtown LA, called Maude's. The owner is this nice lady named Angela. She hired me on the spot; she said I had an honest face._

_Its an okay job I guess; aside from the rude customers, messes, taking the bus, long hours, revealing outfits, rats and roaches at the beginning of every summer etc. _

_Speaking of customers, something strange happened to me last month._

_I don't know if you know him or not but this guy came into the restaurant one night and as soon as I came out from the back he started ogling at me. It was kind of cute._

_He was so sweet. I had never been actually flirted with like that before. I still remember the way he said I was fine._

_Over the next few days I soon found out that he was Naruto Uzumaki; one of the greatest athletes in the country. Sounds like a dream-come-true-fairytale-type-thing? Wrong._

_About a night or two after I gave him my number, he had a ticket to a box seat at his game delivered. Yes, I said it. DELIVERED. I got there and his father starts glaring at me like I stole something from him._

_And then when I think it can't get anymore uncomfortable, his mother asks me where I got my jeans from. Some day, huh?_

_So afterwards I stopped by to thank him for the ticket and we end up going to this Asian restaurant. The manager's father starts screaming obscenities at me, the guest give me the stank eye and a group of groupies laugh their asses off at me._

_When he took me home, we kissed and it sent my soul to the skies. I'd never felt anything like that in my life. I think that was when I finally began to fall in love with him._

_Oh, and that Paul guy; yeah, he tried to mess with me and Naruto just happened to pull up. Let's just say, Paul totally got his wanna-be gangster-rapper ass handed to him. Naruto attacked like a wild man _

_I met his friends, one of whom still doesn't like me, went to his loft and before he left to New York he grabbed me in his arms and kissed me goodbye. He whispered in my ear 'be good while I'm gone babe'. _

_Sometimes I can still feel his breath on my neck._

_He had his driver, Martin, this cool British guy, drive me home and just when I feel like nothing can go wrong; I get shot at. Luckily one of the bullets only grazed my leg. _

_And then about a week later that creepy loser Paul shows up with his big brother, who nearly broke my nose, dragged me to the back of an alley and tried to get some. If you're wondering how I got out of that fix, let's just say that humans were given teeth for reasons other than chewing._

_When he got back was the best part and sort of not the best part._

_I put on something a little sexy and came up to his loft the night he and his friends came back with him. We were so happy to see each other. He picked me up, spun me around and kissed me with a passion that I'll never forget. _

_It'll never get old, how it felt to be cherished; loved._

_I cooked for him and his friends and I guess they all liked it. It was so special to me when I was cooking; Naruto wrapped his arms round me and told me that he wouldn't ever let anything happen to me again_

_I never felt safer. _

_The next morning was when the not so good thing happened. _

_A drop-dead gorgeous brunette showed up to his door crying and claiming to be an 'old friend' of Naruto's. It turned out that about 5 or 6 years ago she and Naruto were married and he never finalized the divorce._

_And to make matters worse, she gave birth to his child. There's a lot of things that I am, but I'm not a home wrecker and I don't plan on being one any time soon._

_I packed up my shit, ran back to my apartment, gathered a few things that I would need, grabbed Fred and few hundred dollars under my mattress that I had saved up for a rainy day and left for the airport._

_I can't be mad at him for having a wife or a child. I love him so much sometimes it hurts. I can't do anything about it either. I'm helplessly ensnared in him and I can't get free no matter how much I try to._

_It just isn't fair._

_I can't be mad at him for anything. But I want to be. I want more than anything to hate his guts for stringing me along for a whole month, letting me fall in love with him, all when he knew he had a wife._

_This bastard took my fucking virginity! I told this mother fucker that I loved him! All for what! As soon as he found out that he had a little Naruto Jr. walking around, he just forgot about me!_

_I gave him all I had; my love, my heart, my heat, my fire, my virginity, my soul, my spirit! He lied to me! I stormed out and he didn't even look for me. It's been two whole fucking days and he still hasn't even called me._

_I can't even put into words how much pain I'm in right now. I feel like somebody took my insides and rearranged them. I trusted him with everything and he threw it all away from something that some woman told him._

_And the part that's more fucked up than anything; I still love him. _

_Even after all of this. I still love him. I still need him. I still wish for his arms to be around me at night. I still wish that he would just make love to me just one more time, just one more time. _

_I still wake up in the middle of the night and wish he was there to rock me to sleep. I still feel his hands on my body. I still feel him inside of me. I still love him. _

_No matter how many tears I cry, no matter how much I hate myself for being so stupid, no matter how much pain he's caused me, no matter how much I feel like I'm going to die, no matter how much it stings..._

_I still love him._

_Damn it all but I still love him._

* * *

><p>Kushina's kitchen, around the same time<p>

The tall woman walked around her kitchen with a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her husband, son, grandson and daughter in law were all in the luxurious family room and she couldn't help but feel separated from the group.

She hated the fact that she couldn't be gullible like the rest of her family and believe Charlotte, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that was not being said.

It was a feeling that she got whenever something was amiss and it was never wrong. More importantly, it wasn't wrong with Charlotte the first time they were married.

She continued to prepare the meal from her new edition to the family when she began to think about that red headed boy that Naruto brought home with the catlike eyes and warm voice.

She wasn't informed but she knew that Naruto still hadn't called him to see how he was doing or where he was. She became so angry at her husbands passed down gene for the extreme wanting of a son.

She remembered how much Minato wanted a son before Naruto was conceived. He would ramble on and on about how much he wanted a young boy to toss the football around with in the afternoon sunlight.

She herself began to wonder where Gaara was. Was he at home? Did he skip town? Did he resume life as usual? There were so many things that she wanted to ask Naruto.

But she knew that pestering him about Gaara during his 'daddy rampage' would only make him and Minato angry. She wasn't in the mood for two angry grown men either screaming at her for making Charlotte cry or storming off to another room.

She took the roast out of the oven and became frustrated with the entire situation. She knew that sooner or later that Charlotte was going to want to be apart of Naruto's life once again and she knew that Naruto and Gaara would soon become intimate.

Those were two things that she didn't want to overlap.

It was a confirmation for her what a man would do for love and a family of his own. Naruto always wanted a son to teach the game to and Minato knew for sure that he'd never have that with Gaara. At least not in a conventional way.

It was a choice that Naruto hadn't come to terms with when he met Gaara and the red head was only a deer in headlights as Naruto scooped him up; unaware of the battles that Naruto was faced with at the current time.

She turned the stove off. _Gaara, I hope you're well. Trust me you have no idea how lucky you are. This is about to be a big mess. _She called the guests into the dining room across the hall.

Her stomach dropped when Naruto came in with a big smile and a small boy perched on his shoulders. Kushina placed the tray on the table with an accented slam drawing a negative glare from Naruto and avoidance from Charlotte who sat next to Naruto.

She walked back into the kitchen and was startled when Minato appeared from behind the door and pinned her to the counter. She tied to push him off, but he grabbed her hands.

"What the hell is your problem woman!" He asked in an angry whisper.

Kushina jerked him off of her and straightened her blouse as she went over to mix the salad. "I don't know what you're talking about".

"Oh don't give me that bullshit! You nearly broke the fucking table!"

"I did not, and stop cursing in my kitchen!"

Minato chuckled sarcastically. "My goodness, the boy gets a piece of happiness and you're ALREADY trying to screw it up for him", he spat coldly.

Kushina snapped her neck around before her body followed. She got within inches of his face and slapped him fiercely. He head snapped to the side before he grabbed his stinging cheek.

"Don't you ever in your sad little life accuse me of trying to ruin my child's life", she said in a voice that startled even him before she continued.

"And secondly, I wont apologize to you or anyone else for being just a little suspicious when a woman, who had a threesome behind my son's back, comes back and claims that they have a child together".

Minato said nothing.

"Now move they hell out of my way", she said as she brushed past him and walked into the dining room with the large crystal bowl of salad, leaving Minato with another form of slashed pride and ego.

When all were at the table and they began eating, Minato decided to prove a point to his wife.

"So Charlotte, what've you been up to these days?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Oh, not much just finishing up accounting school and looking after Junior"

"Well that's perfectly fine. No drama, no men; just school and child", he complimented in a tone that made it an equal comparison looking Kushina directly in the eyes.

"Well, I guess you could say that", she said pinching Naruto Jr.'s nose. "This little guy is all the man I need".

"Isn't that sweet?"

Kushina rolled her eyes off to the side where no body could view her facial expression. When she turned back to the table Minato was glaring dead at her with a disapproving scowl.

Naruto grabbed Charlotte's hand and looked at both of the elder people at the table. "Mom and Dad..."

The both of them looked at their son. Kushina's eyes and facial expression read 'this is gonna kill that poor kid but I must pretend to be excited no matter what because he's still my son' and Minato's read 'finally'. Naruto paused at the disparity.

"Charlotte and I have decided that it's best for Junior that we end our separation", he said looking into her eyes.

Kushina's heart sank at the mental image of Gaara crying, weeping desperately with a broken heart. Her sympathy went light-years past her ability to be happy for her son and his wife.

The light from Minato's smile put the chandelier to shame. "Ha! This is great! I'll get the champagne", he said getting up and rushing into the winery room in the back of the kitchen.

"I'm happy for you two, really I am", Kushina offered to her son and daughter-in-law. Only Naruto knew how much those words worth coming from her lips, even though insincere, knew better than anyone else how she felt about Charlotte.

Minato came back with a hand full of glasses and two large bottle of Champagne. As they drank to the rebirth of an already dead marriage, Kushina politely smiled along with the rest of them even though her thoughts said other wise.

_Gaara, if you have anything left, any will to strive on, I only pray that when this gets out that you have something left. Please don't let this kill you; it's not your fault. None of this is._

She wished so badly to be able to cradle the boy in her arms as if it were her son. She wanted to believe that Gaara would make it when the news came out. And come out is exactly what it would do.

The press would be all over 'the bullet's' remarriage to the same Charlotte Manassey. Only, she knew Gaara wouldn't be able to take it. _Not at that age. He's still a baby. He still loves Naruto so much. I could see it in his eyes even that early in their relationship._

_This will finish anything he has left. _

_Damn! Why, Charlotte?_

_Why?_

* * *

><p>About a week later, 2:00 p.m., Sakura's estate<p>

The soft but sturdy rain shower left streaks of water blowing along the side of Naruto's car speeding down the street covered by trees that plowed through a valley of basses of tall estates.

Naruto pulled up to the bottom of the long driveway that led up to her house and twiddled his fingers around the sleek steering wheel.

A car's break lights shined a bright red in his rear view mirror. For the first time in almost two weeks his mind went back to Gaara and where he might've be. He thought over the idea of calling him just for an explanation.

_I at least owe him that, don't I?_

_I mean that was his first time and everything, he should know what's going on. _

_But what if he doesn't answer, he probably hasn't called yet because he's still mad at me. I'll give him a few more days maybe weeks to cool off._

He pulled up to the front door of the estate and quickly opened the door as he silently bargained with himself. He knocked forcefully on the ebony colored double door stained with a violet-ish colored glass.

There was no answer.

He knocked again, producing a louder volume against the door and soon the fair haired woman appeared to t front door in her pink silk robe and rollers holding up her hair.

"You better be glad that I'm not the cranky type when woken up", she said sarcastically as she stepped aside letting the large man pass into her house still dripping from the rain.

She closed and locked the door behind her as Naruto walked past the foyer and into the femininely decorated kitchen. He took his jacket off and slung it across the back of a bar stool near the counter.

She ventured into the kitchen where she found hm leaning casually against the counter.

"So why again did you call me on my day off?"

"I have something to tell you that you might not like per se...", he said as his casual form began to perk up. "But just hear me out"

"Which is...?"

"Charlotte and I are getting back together", he said with his hands apart.

Sakura looked at this as if she hadn't heard him correctly. "Come again?"

"Charlotte and I are ending our separation", Naruto elaborated as he felt the tension thicken in the kitchen.

"Ok, so then I _did_ hear you correctly", she said stepping a little closer. "Have you gone insane!"

"I guess I should've expected that", he said brushing off her initial disapproving.

"You guess! You didn't have to 'guess'!"

"..."

"You came all the way over here to tell me some bullshit like this? What the fuck is going on in your head?"

"..."

She placed a hand on her forehead. "There are so many things I have to say right now, I don't even know where to fucking begin!"

"We have a son"

Sakura turned her head slowly. "What?"

"Charlotte was pregnant when we separated"

"I need a drink", she said abruptly as she dashed to the wine cabinet next to her. Naruto grabbed her by her arm and yanked away from the wooden compartment, looking her in her eyes.

"You don't need a drink! _I _need _you _to listen to me", she looked him in his icy blue eyes.

"Let me go", she said yanking away from his grip.

"..."

Sakura sighed heavily. "How do you know that this 'son' is yours?"

"She took me to see him last week, and she has the DNA test".

She couldn't believe her ears.

"He looks just like me", he said with astonishment. "My eyes, hair, lips, nose, mouth, its like looking at a 5 year old version of me"

Sakura was still at a loss for words.

"And Charlotte and I feel that it's best for him if we end our separation"

Sakura quickly began to regret her decision of allowing him to neglect to finalize the divorce. It was a decision that she only waited week in and week out to back fire on the both of them.

"Where will he be living?"

"I'm moving out of my loft and I'm moving Naruto Jr. and Charlotte into a house as quick as I can"

Sakura's heart sank at the thought of Gaara off somewhere crying his eyes out, destitute, back to the way it was when he was alone in a city bigger than he could comprehend, yet she couldn't help but wonder...

Naruto saw the heartbreak in her eyes. "Sakura, I'll be honest. I didn't come here expecting you to be all lovey-dovey about this"

"You don't know the half of it"

"But even you have to admit", he took a step back. "This is big"

She only sighed deeply to herself.

"I have a _son"_

"..."

"And we may say what we want about Charlotte but, she had to give up her old ways to take care of a child on her own for five years"

Sakura turned her head to him and looked him in his eyes with a face of frustration and sarcasm. Naruto thought for sure that he'd at least got her to be accepting of the idea but realized he was far from it indeed.

"You know what, Naruto? That's all _grand_"

"I'm glad you think so"

"I mean you've got your wife back, a son", she paused. "You've got a family, just like you've always wanted and I should be happy for you"

"You see! That's all I wanted; from my mother, you. Just a small approval from the women in my life"

"Oh, wait!" She said with a surprised voice that dripped sarcasm. "I think we've forgotten somebody".

"What are you talking about?"

"GAARA!"

Naruto sighed deeply and turned away to finish off a beer that he'd pulled out of the refrigerator. "I knew this was coming"

"What the fuck did you expect! _Please_, tell me what you wanted me to say"

Naruto, in a fiery rage slung the glass bottle to the kitchen floor causing it to shatter in to hundreds of little brown glass pieces.

"How about 'Congratulations', 'Good for you', 'I'll look past the fact that I think you wife is whore for the sake of your happiness'. How about that!"

Sakura tried her hardest not to strike him for making a mess on her kitchen floor. She bit the inside of her cheek and looked away for a brief moment as she tapped her foot angrily on the floor that was littered in broken glass.

"You strung along a 19 year old boy for an entire month, introduced him to your parents, paid his fucking light bill, allowed him to fall in love with you, took his virginity, and after your ex-wife who tried to steal your money on _multiple_ occasions shows up and claims she has a child by you, you forget his very existence"

"..."

"He didn't know anybody in LA, the only family he has in Atlanta, I really liked that kid, all he wanted was for you to love him the way he loved you and you balled him up and tossed him like a fucking piece of trash over something that _very well_ may be a lie and you came here expecting _approval_?"

Naruto clenched his teeth behind closed lips.

"No, never"

"..."

"And if you want approval you can go and ask your homophobic father for it because your mother isn't giving it to you and neither am I", she said finally pointing to the door.

Naruto looked down and nodded to the floor. "You know what, Sakura; I don't even know why I ever expected anything from you"

"I don't either"

"Look, whether you understand or not; I have a family now and that's something I'll never have with Gaara"

Sakura simply walked around the kitchen bar and went to sit down by the couch next to a large yellow book of establishments in LA. She put on her glasses as she took a sip of hot tea on the table.

"You can let yourself out. The door locks automatically", she said nonchalantly as the tall blonde haired man blew out of the estate with an angry disappointed aura following him in to the pouring ran.

As he slammed the door to his car with himself inside he could do nothing but stare at his reflection in the rear view mirror and think about what kind of realization that the small reflection brought him to at that rainy moment.

Inside the feminine estate, Sakura flipped though the pages and found the address after which she sought.

_Maude's (Eatery, Bar, Live Entertainment)_

She took another sip of her tea.

_Going up to his job might not accomplish much but at least there's hope of somebody knowing where he is. I refuse to sit idly by and let this kid run off and not at least look for him._

_The poor thing must think none of us have even noticed he's gone._

* * *

><p>A journal entry from the same old park bench, 4:00 p.m.<p>

_**It was you that caught my heart like a thief in the night**_

_**It was you that wiped my tears when I cried**_

_**It was you that knew my every thought, my heart, my dream **_

_**Was you...**_

_Dear Diary,_

_I wish more than anything that I could tell you that today were better, but my days are spent hating myself for keeping a father away from his family and for allowing myself to be compromised._

_My mother tries so hard to get me to stop crying sometimes._

'_Stop crying, sweetheart', she'll say. 'You'll be sick if you carry on like this'_

_I love my mother so. But I only wish I could stop crying. Crying has become like second nature to me now. I can scarcely separate the times when I'm in tears from when I'm not._

_When I wake up in the morning time, my eyes stick stubbornly together from the night's tears and my eyes water throughout the day. _

_I've never been the type to cry like this, for any reason. But it's like he's changed me; and it's too soon for me to decide if he's changed me for better or worse. _

_I'm ashamed, Diary. I'm so ashamed that I was so weak as to let somebody do this to me, let somebody ruin me like this. _

_Sometimes, when I miss him more than ever, I cry so hard that my head throbs, and yet I want him still to come and save me, just like I did when we were in LA._

_But what hurts the most is that he can't hear me. _

_I can cry, scream, yell and shout as much as I like but he still can't hear me. He probably doesn't want to either. He's probably in LA right now hoisting his boy over his shoulder. _

_I'll bet when he spends time with his family, he wonders what ever possessed him to waste his time with me when he could've had all the he has now; a beautiful wife a son to carry on his name and make him proud one day._

_It's a damn shame though._

_I actually thought that his friend didn't like because of the usual reasons people don't like me, preferably straight men. I'd be fine and good if he didn't like me because of the way I dressed or the color of my hair._

_It stings a shit load more to know that he actually had a genuine reason for hating my guts. He knew that I was just a distraction from his best friend's happiness. Didn't see that one coming._

_It turns out that he didn't give a damn about me looking like a prostitute or the possibility of me being after Naruto's money or even the fact that if he was with me, they wouldn't be able to go out on their big strip club escapades._

_He knew what Naruto had before he met me and he knew that was best for him, not me, never me._

_I still can't quite figure out why Sakura even bothered to take a liking to me. She must not have liked Charlotte too much. My mother always told me that when a man gets married, his female friends won't exactly be on board. _

_I guess she knew what Charlotte was capable of as far as Naruto, but not necessarily guilty of doing. _

_Sometimes, I like to think back on the way he used to hold me, when I'm all alone in my room. It silly because I know he'll never hold me the same way again. Maybe, but some dreams never come true._

_Sometimes I cry when I think about when he made love to me. _

_I wonder everyday if he makes love to her like he did to me. I wonder ever more often if Charlotte can do it for him better than I can, if she can give him what he needs better than I can, if he likes fucking her more than me._

_I always wonder if he's always loved her more than he loved me. It's frustrating because I have to write this down, for my sanity. But these damn tears keep smearing the ink on the page._

_I wanna write this shit down so I don't lose my mind over this man, but these fucking tears keeping smearing the ink all over the page. I can't wipe my face fast enough. _

_He doesn't love me at all, only her and his son. Soon there will be a wedding on TV, all the reporters will cover the wedding, and all of the news stations will cover it. I don't wanna be around on that day._

_It's like waiting for the knife sometimes. _

_I told my mother the other day that I wished that I could die for one week maybe more, just until the wedding is over and the news stations stop covering it and talking about the dress that she walked down the isle in._

_I can't bear to see him in a tuxedo placing the ring on her finger, her smiling up at him, them sealing they're life together with a kiss, a kiss that will in turn lock me out forever. _

_It'll be a kiss that will leave me to pine away with nothing left but a broken heart and a dying dream. _

_Maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion, Diary._

_Or maybe I'm just bitter._

* * *

><p>A busy street in the middle of rush hour traffic, 5 o'clock in the afternoon, Monday<p>

_**You need to give it up**_

_**Had about enough**_

_**It's not hard to see **_

_**The boy is mine...**_

Sakura, giving Martin a day off, drove down the busy street with a passion as she honked frustrated at the drivers on the street that seemed to be in no form of haste.

About a month ago, she'd slap the sense out of anyone who would have told her that she'd be spending her day off looking for a red-headed teenager from Louisiana, just to make sure that he was ok.

She had to admit that the kid had grown on her and that she felt, in an unexplainable way, obligated to at least find out where the kid was. Naruto was the only person he knew in LA and since her best friend had abandoned him, she had no choice.

The sign reading 'Maude's' came closer to her vision behind her sun glasses as she passed the establishment and went to the parking garage.

When she paid the parking fee and pulled in to a space around the second floor, she spotted a familiar vehicle in the spot about four spaces behind her. It looked dangerously familiar to that which Minato bought Kushina for her birthday.

She brushed off the silly thought and made her way to the elevator.

As her high heels echoed off the concrete walls, she hoped in her heart that this venture would solve her problems and end her guilt for not checking on Gaara once and for all.

She had to admit that she couldn't control what Naruto did as far as his love life nor could she sway his decision about children. But she did plan on doing something that she'd been doing ever since Naruto hired her as his manager; cleaning up his mess.

She cleaned up his decision not to finalize the divorce from Charlotte, she cleaned up his decision to half openly date a gender-ambiguous teenager at the height of his career and she had to clean up another mess he made by dumping him after taking his virginity.

She resented her want for his well being after the way he talked to her the days before about Charlotte but couldn't help but do it. After so long, it became a habit of choice that she had no intention of being rid of.

Gaara had more credibility in her mind than Charlotte any day.

As she exited the elevator she was none too surprised at the small number of people in the place with it only being 5:00 in the afternoon. She imagined that gay gentleman's clubs operated thee same way straight ones did.

When she walked up to the front desk a tall woman was talking to a woman who looked like the owner of the place. The tall woman talking to the owner emitted a familiar presence until she heard her voice.

"Kushina?"

The woman whipped her head around to reveal her eye hidden with sunglasses. She removed them to reveal Kushina's entire face.

"Sakura? What are you doing here?"

She couldn't tell her why she was there. "I'm just here looking for somebody", she said carefully.

"Gaara?" She asked equally carefully.

"Yes", Sakura answered slowly causing Kushina to sigh with relief as she introduced Sakura to the woman in a brightly colored blouse behind the counter.

"Angela this is Sakura, a friend of my son's. Sakura this is Angela, Gaara's boss. I've told her everything". Angela motioned for them to come into her office and the three women followed her into a small room furnished daintily.

Gaara's boss sat down in her leather chair and Sakura and Kushina sat in the two chairs in front of the desk, putting their purses next to the legs of the chair and in their laps.

Angela spoke up. "I was so afraid that this would happen"

Sakura scooted to the edge of the seat. "How could you have known?"

"It wasn't anything obvious; it was the way Gaara was while Naruto was gone"

Kushina and Sakura listened carefully.

"Have you ever seen a rose wilt before your very eyes? My goodness, it looked like he was wilting as the days went by and then suddenly he stopped coming into work. I haven't seen him in weeks"

"Sakura when was the last time you saw him?" Kushina asked as the two older women looked at the younger.

"Well, the last time I saw him was when I left to catch my plane. He and Naruto were cuddled up in Naruto's bed"

Angela pulled out her phone. "I called him after a few days he didn't show up and all he said was that 'I'm not coming into work' and he hung up"

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's never that rude to me and it didn't even sound like him. His voice sounded like it had been fried from crying"

"He isn't at home, I checked with his landlord", Kushina said wistfully. "He's about to be evicted"

"The poor kid hasn't got anybody in LA so I've been the only one looking out for him this whole time", Angela admitted.

"I just can't believe Naruto would do this to somebody. This isn't at all like him"

"You should've seen the two of them at our house for lunch. My goodness Naruto protected him like a hawk from Minato", Kushina said.

"Are he and this girl having a wedding?" Angela asked.

"In only a few weeks", Kushina said with sorrow for Gaara in her voice. "I do hope he doesn't see it. He'll be crushed"

"We've got to find him before the wedding", Sakura said. "Where could he be?"

They all paused for a moment until Angela spoke up. "I've got it!"

"What?" Sakura and Kushina asked in unison.

"He said something about his mother moving to a house close to her sister in Atlanta, I'll bet anything he's there"

Kushina turned from Sakura to Angela. "Well we can't just stand here. We've got to go to him"

"What's his mother's name?"

Angela looked through her phone. "Karura Sebaku"

Sakura looked at the calendar on her phone. "I'm free this Thursday"

"So am I", Kushina added also checking her schedule. "What about you?" She said to Angela.

"I'm busy all week. You two will have to go without me", she said with a bit of sadness in her voice. "Do tell him we all miss him at work"

Kushina put a hand on Angela's. "Why of course we will"

Sakura gritted her teeth. "I've got a good mind to call up that bastard and give a fucking piece of my mind", she said reaching for her phone that was nestled in her lap. But Kushina sharply snatched her arm.

"No!"

Sakura looked at her with disbelief. "Why the hell not?"

"Sakura you don't understand. Naruto isn't the only one smitten with this whole family ordeal"

"What do you mean?" Angela asked leaning closer over her desk.

"If you tell Naruto, then all he'll do is tell his father. Minato will do anything in his power to keep this from falling apart"

Angela furrowed her brows. "He can't possibly..."

"Angela, my husband has connections with airlines, railroads, police departments, judges. He _can_ and _will_ stop us if he finds out"

Angela and Sakura fell silent.

"If we're going to find Gaara, then it has to remain between the three of us and no one else", she said with a frighteningly warning tone of voice. The three women looked at each other and nodded slowly.

* * *

><p>A yacht being gently rocked about a half a mile off the coast of the San Francisco Bay, 5:30<p>

Minato had always wanted to take his son and grandson on his yacht; it was one of the major reasons why he bought a number of years in the past. It wasn't the same to travel the seas alone.

Gulls flew over head as Naruto Jr. stood at the edge of the yacht clinging to the rail. His father watched him and warned him not to get too close. The blonde haired boy smiled at his father's warning and ran to the other side.

Naruto's heart warmed at the sight of the small boy in which he saw so much of himself as a child.

Charlotte had claimed that she had to work and couldn't go, Kushina faked a headache to attend to other errands, leaving the males to go alone to the beautiful blue waters of the bay the drive was a long one as they had to leave early that morning.

The sun was bright as it reflected off the pearl-white deck.

A speedboat sped by, being driven by an older man around Minato's age. A woman clung to his shoulder as they sped by. The boat was a bold red and it zoomed by, leaving behind the semblance of a red blur.

Naruto looked down at his phone and went through his contacts. Gaara's name scrolled into vision. Next to his name was his face that Naruto hadn't seen in almost a month.

His finger hovered over Gaara's name. _It wouldn't hurt to talk to him for a few minutes, just to fill him in on what's going on. _

_Damn those eyes. _Gaara's cat-like eyes drove him wild.

Minato came up from the bottom with a tray of lobster and shrimp. He sat down on the seat opposite to the one in which Naruto sat in and began to dig in. Naruto quickly put his phone away.

"Checking on the wife?" He asked.

"Uh...Yeah, just seeing if she made it home ok", he lied as he shifted in his seat.

"You know, son. I gotta say I'm glad you guys are together again"

Naruto chuckled. "Dad you've told me that about 100 times today"

"I know but I really am", he took a sip of his wine. "You have a fine family on your hands"

Naruto looked out at the sea.

Minato saw this and a world of worries appeared in his mind. "Something on your mind?"

"Nothing, just thinking about the wedding and everything"

"Trust me, just buy everything she wants, do what she wants and she won't kill you", he said jokingly making Naruto chuckle.

"You haven't got cold feet have you?"

"Of course not. What reason would I have to have cold feet?"

"Son listen to me, it's perfectly natural to have a little doubt about giving up playing the field and your ...other companions"

"Dad, I'm fine; honestly. Charlotte can give me far more than Gaara ever could, I realize that now", he said as the words stung as they passed his lips and into the atmosphere. He'd never thought he'd come to that conclusion.

Minato smiled out at the clear sky. _Life is damn good._

_Damn good indeed. _

* * *

><p>A sofa in front of the window, Thursday, 9:30 a.m.<p>

_Dear Diary,_

_You have no idea how much I wish I stayed asleep. I'm beginning to feel more and more like this with each passing day. My mother keeps telling me that it'll get better; if only that were true._

_I should be over it, I know I should but I just can't get past this, no matter how hard I try. _

_I can't stop fucking crying. Naruto, look what the fuck you did to me you selfish bastard, look what you did to me! I hate you so much, I hate everything about you. And what I hate the most is that I love you._

_I woke up yesterday morning and the first thing I heard was my mother telling me that she was going out to run some errands. I could barely hear her. Fred was barking so loudly this morning I had to stop myself from striking him._

_My back began to hurt from lying in bed and my head began to throb from my incessant weeping. So I got up to go into my mother's room for some Advil. I should've stayed my stupid ass in bed._

_My mother forgot to turn the TV in her room off before she left. Why, mother? Why? You had no way of knowing but still I can't help but wonder why she left that damned TV on._

_As I was rummaging through the cabinets, I heard a reporter's voice say 'Naruto Uzumaki'. I jumped at the sound of his name and as I ran to the TV screen I hit my lip on the corner of the door frame._

_I was so mesmerized by what I saw on the headline that I barely noticed the blood trickling down my chin. _

_It read 'Uzumaki to marry long lost sweetheart next week'. I thought I was going to die. How could he do this to me, Diary? Did I say something to him to make him feel this way? Did I do something to him?_

_Did I hurt or offend him in such a way to become deserving of this punishment? This pain? All of these tears I cry?_

_They showed a photo of the two f them walking down the street hand in hand, trying to avoid the paparazzi. Naruto, even though he was annoyed by the paparazzi, in a way, seemed happy._

_He was happy to be in public with the object of his affection by his side. I guess I know how Charlotte felt all of these years and just recently when I almost got caught with him._

_She must have cried like this for 5 whole years, and to make matters worse; she had a constant reminder of Naruto clinging to her leg all day. _

_I've realized something, Diary. If I really love Naruto as much as I say I do, I should be happy for him, in that he's found his family and now is about to take a bride that he was supposed to take long before I came into the picture._

_I've got to accept the fact that Charlotte and Naruto were destined for each other and I was just an obstacle meant to be one day pushed aside so fate could take control. So why is it so damned hard?_

_I wanna be happy with that, Diary. Really, I do. But it just isn't fucking fair! How the hell was I supposed to know he had somebody far away crying his tears like I am now?_

_Had I known that, I wouldn't have given him a second look. I know what it feels like to cry so much till it feels like you can't go on anymore! I know how it feels! I know!_

_The reporter continued. _

"_Looks like 'The Bullet' is off to bigger and better things. Was the famous 'red blur' from last month's faulty picture just a quick fling?"_

_A second reporter came on to give his commentary on Naruto's love life. _

"_You know, Bill I'll bet that this 'red blur' was just some silly gold digger who knew too much about the situation and tried to get their hands on some quick cash before Naruto realized who he really should be with"_

"_Oh, I agree completely. What a sad individual"_

_I wanted to punch that little prick in his fucking greasy ass face. How could those words just fall off of his lips like that? He doesn't know me, he doesn't know what happened, HE DOESN'T KNOW FUCKING SHIT!_

_All I could do was lie on the floor and weep._

_I felt so helpless. I couldn't do anything. I wished so badly that I could just morph into the screen and tell everybody that Naruto was the one who came after me and that even still I never wanted his money._

_I wanted everybody to know that I had no evil scheme, plot, plan, agenda or anything like that. I wanted to tell America that I was just an average gay 19year old guy from a small town in Louisiana trying to make it in LA._

_I cried so hard that I began to gasp desperately for air. I wailed loudly making Fred rub his wet nose against my arm. _

_My mother heard me and came rushing into her bedroom to see me curled up in a ball on the floor with blood on my chin and my face drenched in tears. I wished her arms around would make the pain go away._

_I wished that her arms around me would make Naruto love me again. But they didn't. _

_As I write across your pages, Diary, I wish more than anything that he could hear my words. But the sad truth is that he'll never hear me again; not as long as he has a beautiful wife and son to make him happy. _

_They'll give him more happiness than I ever have and could. It would be better if had memories, but those only will bring more tears. _

_And I'm fucking sick of crying like this._

Gaara closed his Diary and looked out the window as he sat on the sofa. The days began to drag by as the days until the wedding drew nearer and nearer. It was as if time was putting salt into his wounds.

The graze mark on his leg was beginning to heal and his lip was still tender from the day before.

_**I remember the way you used to love me**_

_**I remember the days you used to love me**_

_**You don't hear me calling out...**_

Gaara could felt the crustiness of his face as it was a canvas for many tears for the past few weeks. He had to stop crying, he just had to. It never occurred to him that he was in the house alone again.

His mother had left to go to lunch with one of her co-workers much to her own protest. She begged Gaara over and over again to let her stay home with him again but he insisted that she needed to get out and that she didn't have to baby sit him.

He only wished that he asked her to stay when his mind went over the thought.

Fred was fast asleep on the sofa next to Gaara. His curly coat of hair rose and fell as his respiration was notice by Gaara. _You're the only man for me, Fred. _He chuckled to himself for the first time in a while.

He heard footsteps approaching the front door before the doorbell rang. Expecting it to be a door-to-door salesman he got up fro the sofa. He was wearing a small black Lady Gaga t-shirt and a pair of baggy gray cotton sweat pants.

Fred followed closely behind him as he looked through the peep hole and nearly fell back on his behind at the sight of the two people behind the door. He quickly wiped his face and wiped the mucus from his nose before opening he door.

He opened the door to reveal an apologetic Sakura and Kushina who smiled at him with an odd fashion. The two women were almost frightened at the boy's severely changed form since the last time they'd both saw him.

His skin was frighteningly pale and his arms were thin from his lack of appetite for the past weeks despite his mother's commands to eat something. His red eyes were encircled by dark circles and sagged deeply.

They also noticed the abrasion on his lip that was still red from the dried blood. Kushina's eyes welled with tears.

"Oh my goodness, Mrs., Uzumaki, Sakura! What are you two doing all the way in Atlanta?"

His voice was barely above a raspy croak as he tried as hard as he could to sound enthusiastic and tried to hide the evidence in his voice that had been crying for the past two weeks.

Gaara was baffled by the lack of an answer and one woman shaking her head with a hand over her mouth and the other about to burst into tears.

"Please, come in", he stepped aside allowing both of the women to come inside as they both did so and sat down on the sofa.

As soon as Gaara closed the door Kushina put her purse below her feet on the sofa, and waited until Gaara came back from locking the door.

"This is such a surprise", he croaked with a hoarse voice as he sat down on the smaller sofa across from them. He put a blanket over him as it began to rain outside. Sakura was the first to speak.

"We heard about what happened and we had to come see you darling", she said softly.

"What do you mean?" He looked back and forth at Naruto's best friend and his mother as his facial expression changed form one of feigned politeness to one of grim depression.

Kushina cleared her throat. "I hate to tell you this but, there's a reason why Naruto hasn't called you yet..."

"Oh, no. I know already ", he said as he began to perk up again in the company of his guests.

"You do?" Kushina looked surprised.

Gaara paused. "Yeah, it was...it was...it...it was on the yester...I mean it was on the news yesterday", he said as he fumbled over his words.

"How are you holding up sweetheart?" Sakura asked with understanding eyes.

Gaara's smile looked as if it were about to collapse any moment. "I'm happy for him", he said as his voice cracked mid-sentence.

The two women looked at each other and then back at Gaara. "You are?" They both asked in unison.

"Of course, I mean he has a family like he's always wanted and that's something I can't give him"

Sakura's disbelief of his approval was confirmed by the way he blinked behind those baggy darkly encircled eyes. She wanted to believe that he was ok with everything but her woman's intuition told her otherwise.

"Is your mother around?" Kushina asked trying to clear the awkward atmosphere.

"Um, yes, she's out with friends. She should be back any moment now", he said looking at the clock. "She'd love to meet you guys".

Fred began to bark just as Sakura was about to protest when Karura walked through the door with her umbrella and coat in hand. She looked surprised at the two women sitting in her living room as they both got up to greet her.

"Mom, this is Sakura Haruno, Naruto's best friend and Kushina Uzumaki, his mother. Ladies this is my mother Karura", he introduced.

They all took a seat on the sofa across from Gaara as they all greeted each other. Gaara began to be intimidated as she looked at the three women all looked at him and Kushina spoke up.

"We know Naruto hasn't even called you yet and we came down to see if you were okay", she said.

Karura put and hand on Sakura and Kushina's hand. "Thank you so much. This means a lot"

"And we know all of this wedding talk that's been all over the news hasn't helped matters very much", Sakura said with care in her voice.

"Most importantly we came just to see how you feel, darling", Kushina asked. "We know how the news feels, how do _you _feel?"

Gaara swallowed and looked away initially. "Well it was kind of uncomfortable to be called a home wrecker on national TV. No one knows it was me but it still hurt. I feel like the bad guy, even though I didn't do anything wrong except for fall in love"

He continued. "I thought that if maybe I was finer or had more going for myself maybe, just maybe he'd love me. I've been trying so hard to get my cosmetology degree together, I swear I have"

A rim of moisture formed at the brim of Gaara's sea foam green eyes. "He tossed my love letters unto the wind and the invisible currents threw them to and fro into the abyss of heartbreak"

Kushina held a hand to her mouth at the never ending scroll of grief and pain that unfolded before her.

The tears that welled on the horizon of his eyes fell in plentiful amounts, washing away just a little bit more of the heartache splattered against his face. It became his release after some time.

"He threw me away", he said with final lament. "I still love him even though he threw me away for her". His voice sounded as if he'd somehow come to terms with the fact and it astounded the three women.

Gaara looked down into his lap and wiped the tears and mucus from his face with his wrist. He'd cried enough tears to shower in by the time he'd arrived at this much needed realization.

He looked up at Kushina and her face was covered in tears as well. Her face read that she was truly apologetic for the ill actions of her own son but while apologetic, she felt guilty of a crime more than anything. Silence.

She looked Gaara earnestly in his eyes. "I can't change his mind; I'll admit that; he's almost 30 years old. But I promise, I _will _make it known to him what he's done to you", she said with new found vehement against her son and husband.

Gaara, with baggy eyes and a hoarse voice, smiled at Naruto's mother. "Don't fret for me Mrs. Uzumaki; I'll be fine and good one of these days".

The three women marveled at him.

"I'll always hate what he's done to me but I'll never ruin the happiest day of his life out of spite", he said calmly. "I love him too much still"

Kushina looked over at Sakura, who was still astonished at the strength of Gaara's love for Naruto, and then over to his mother who's responding face read 'he has a point, it wouldn't be right'.

"If Naruto never loves me again, then I'll have to move on; it might be hard as hell but I'll have to", he said in such a sorrowful tone combined with his raspy and tired voice that made Sakura's heart wrench.

_What have you done, Naruto? What on earth have you done to him?_

The three women embraced him genuinely as their feminine energy helped to heal the pain that was caused in such a short amount of time, yet lasted for what seemed like years.

He looked aghast as they embraced him. He wanted so badly to be happy for Naruto's wedding and journey without him but the feeling just wouldn't arrive at the moment and he feared that it never would.

_Still..._

_I still love you..._

_Still..._

* * *

><p>An upstairs bedroom in an upscale estate, 10:48 at night, 5 day before the wedding<p>

In the house under the name Manassey, a beautiful woman with long flowing brown hair walked in and tiredly set her handbag down on the bed before kicking off her high heel shoes.

The day was a long yet relieving day for her where as she had completed the stages of the planning of the day that she'd dreamed of as a little girl.

In a few days short of a week, all of her plans would come to pass, and all of her assorting, organizing and assembling would produce benefits to be reaped. She opened a pack of white pads with which she used to remove her makeup.

After their honeymoon, her husband would pay to have all of her desired items to be moved into the home that he'd recently bought for himself and his family. Just the thought made he shiver in glee.

She looked at herself in the mirror of her boudoir. Her face was exquisite yet original and honest. She always cherished the fact that looks can be deceiving in certain situations.

She untied her hair and went behind the glass curtain to change out of her short dress.

Janet and Lance Manassey had always found Charlotte's extreme ambition to be a quality that would forever benefit her in the world in which she wanted to start a career.

This ambition was one of her father's many prides, and one of her mother's many fears.

It became evident to Janet at an early age that Charlotte would grow to do things with her ambition that neither of them would be necessarily proud of in the long run, however she always kept he mouth closed

The door opened to reveal a shorter woman in her late 50s in a silk robe and rollers in her shining brown hair. She could only see her daughter's silhouette behind the glass curtain as she changed.

"Going to bed?" She called out from the other side of the embroidered glass.

"Yeah", she replied with a sigh. "You wouldn't believe how nosy people are down at the insurance office. They see you on TV and they think they know you all of the sudden"

Her mother looked at the picture of Charlotte as a young girl that stood on a cardboard stand next to her bed. _Where did you go, my child? Surely you are not the woman who stands behind this glass curtain that stands for the boundary that divides us so._

She sighed as the younger woman came out and joined her mother on the bed. "Did you need something?" She said addressing the odd late night visit.

"There's somethin that I must ask you, and I'm aware that it's a bit too late for this"

"Which is...?" She asked, as her tiredness caused her to grow impatient.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Charlotte looked at her mother incredulously initially and then burst into uproarious laughter. "You're right it is a bit too late"

"Well...?"

"Of course I'm sure", she said. "I have to be. There's a shit load of money at stake here", she said nonchalantly as she frowned at her broken nail. She got up to go to her bureau and pulled a nail file out of one of its drawers.

"I mean, come on mother. Why the hell would I go through all of this trouble of leading this brainless imbecile into thinking I birthed his child if I weren't sure?"

"True"

The two women shared a short laugh.

"Like father says, gold has no worth in the hands of a fool"


	6. fire

Songs: Monica & Brandy – The Boy is Mine, Jazmine Sullivan – Bust, Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game

Back again readers. First off I'd like to thank you guys for all of the reviews and for not deserting this story even after I made you wait all this time for chapter four. I can assure you that it won't happen again. I got a review just a little while ago that absolutely made my day. But I didn't like it because of its compliments but for its criticism. As aspiring authors we all must learn to embrace positive criticism as well as negative criticism (words of Lady Gaga). That review opened my eyes to an large aspect of chapters 4 and 5 that I didn't anticipate until I actually put the chapters out and if the creator of that review is reading, I'll get right on it. Another reviewer reminded me that I need to edit my chapters more carefully, which I am more than guilty of. For someone who wants to be an author as much as I do, spelling and grammar mistakes are unacceptable. You'll never see a misspelled word or a poorly arranged sentence in a book by Toni Morrison or Alice Walker or Betty Smith; therefore such errors will cease to exist in this story and thank you, reviewer, for bringing it to my attention. On another note I have question to ask you, readers. If someone asked you, 'why are you the way you are?'; how would you respond? Would you get angry? Cry? Laugh? Walk away? Well, the best way to handle the situation is to say nothing. Why? Because you know who you are and that's your own business. Whether you're gay or lesbian or Christian or Jewish or Protestant or Atheist, you owe only yourself an explanation and no one else. Another thing that I've learned in this passing time is that knowing who you really are is something to truly be thankful for. There are countless men and women who have no clue who they are and their ignorance causes pain upon themselves and others. Heartbreak is something that everybody has to deal with in their lifetime and there is no way to avoid it completely. But there is a way to reduce it. Love yourself. Then and only then can you truly and adequately defend yourself from some of the pain that this life can bring. If you know who you are then there will be no confusion when someone tries to come into your life and tell you otherwise. If some days you feel like all you have left is the strength to carry yourself to bed, remember that the strength that comes from knowledge of self will never deplete…

* * *

><p>A Heavenly decorated chapel inside a large church, a lovely dressing suite in the back adorned with flowers and gifts, 2:50 in the afternoon<p>

_**You need to give it up **_

_**Had about enough**_

_**It's not hard to see**_

_**The boy is mine...**_

The sun shined brightly through the windows of the suite laced with flowers of a congratulating nature. The warm air mixed with the victorious vibe in the room next to the mirror. Outside numerous paparazzi littered the pavement and flashed their cameras furiously to get the best possible shot to be published.

The wedding was greatly anticipated by those involved, those attending and those not attending or involved.

Many family members on the Manassey side were denied access due to their disapproval of the way Lance and Janet raised their daughter. Those invited were the majorities that said nothing as the Manasseys produced a monster in between the walls of their household.

On the Uzumaki side, nearly everyone was in attendance. His public status and success in finding a wife attracted attention to his parents. They were deemed as 'good parents' for producing a son that turned out to be one of the best athletes in the country and married sooner than many in his age group.

The fatal double stereotype was crowned the victor yet again as the woman grew up to be a human leech, depending on the success of others and not on her own and the man grew up to be a success in virtually all areas, leaving him to be the better individual.

How the superficiality of both individuals was more or less equal whereas one exploited the lifelong dream of the other to get what she wanted and the other threw away the one who truly cared about him for the mere image of a fantasy that developed over the years.

It never occurred to Charlotte how she naturally felt about the man she was about to marry.

She sat on the marble and plush-suede seat before the mirror in a dazzling dress that her great grandmother wore at her wedding. Her grandmother married for love and true love alone and this was a large portion of the disapproval of Charlotte's wedding from her side of the family. They were all very aware of her intentions.

In the room dwelled her mother, aunt and grandmother who all were either standing or sitting along the elongated burgundy chaise lounge. Victoria and James sat near the door on the sofa conversing silently.

"Mother, what time is it?"

The short woman looked down at her watch as her sister did her daughter's final facial touches. "It's about 2:55"

"How long is it going to take that bumbling bunch of idiots you call security to clear out five fat bald-headed men with cameras who were stupid enough to walk in?"

"Don't get your self in a fret darling", her grandmother assured from afar. "You'll ruin your make-up"

"Is everyone out to ruin me?"

Charlotte's aunt and grandmother turned to Mary with a frustrated glare. She only silently urged them to go along with her lamenting.

"Don't worry, today is YOUR day and no one can steal it from you again", he mother said approaching her from behind. "Not even that wretched project dweller"

"Ugh! My skin crawls at the very mention of the epithet that describes that mongrel", she spat with great vehement. Her aunt sighed as she finished her niece's make-up and stood back to survey her work. Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror before her and gleamed up at her aunt.

"Aunt Vivian, you should be ashamed for not pursuing cosmetology", she complimented making her aunt smile. "You would've been an icon"

"I'll bet he's outside waiting for the ceremony to start as we speak", Charlotte's mother said from behind.

"It'll do him a service", she said with a sinister softness. "Even bottom-feeders need closure"

"He knows better than to show his face here"

The four women shared a brief laugh.

On the direct opposite side of the church was another suite nearly parallel and symmetrical to the one across from it. It was painted a different color and reserved for the groom and the groomsmen along with the best man.

The pubic eye had anticipated the wedding of Naruto Uzumaki ever since his separation from Charlotte over six years in the past. He was already accustomed to the attention but there was something about that day that just didn't feel like he dreamed it would.

And he knew exactly who the cause of his uneasiness was.

It hadn't occurred to him before until then that his fierce ambition for a family and more so a son had caused his judgment to err leading to the desertion of a love that he never quite experienced before and was yearning for more and more with everyday that went by.

All of the sudden, on the day when it mattered the most, he his temporary infatuation with Charlotte as the mother of his child began to wither away so quickly that he began to panic in his sitting position on the sofa. He ran his hands over his blonde slicked back hair.

He got up and began to pace the floor. It was as if his desire for the red-headed youth was a river that flowed into a shallow estuary displacing every ounce that resided there before.

Naruto paced even further. His manhood began to stiffen at the recurring mental images that began to rise from the dust in his mind. He began to question the reasons for his actions as he heard footsteps coming from down the hall.

Growing up in his father's house, the sight of a father with his son struck a chord with him that resonated into his 20s and up to the day he let Gaara walk away. Having a son produced such love from inside of him that lifted him to forgive Charlotte of her adultery; something he thought he'd never do.

Gaara's plight caused by Charlotte's didn't seem to occur to him whereas he feared in silence that Charlotte was pregnant for all of the years that they were separated. A glitch in psychology of self was all he claimed it to be in mind and heart.

It had been over a month since he'd last seen the red-head and calling him was out of the question entirely. He didn't think of himself as to one who made brash and thoughtless decisions but even he had to admit that he was in a hole that he would not soon be able to dig himself out of.

The frothy mixture of cold feet, guilt, anxiousness, uneasiness, sexual frustration and the annoying soreness in his midsection began to make the day a smidgen darker than he imagined it would be only a short while ago.

His mother and father had already paid him a visit earlier that morning. He had to refrain from bursting into laughter at the obvious disparity between the amounts of approval of his mother and father. They seemed to have a comical relationship at the surface, covering the underlying issues.

It was common knowledge to himself that Naruto Uzumaki knew exactly what he wanted and knew how to attain it. He never imagined that he'd find out how wrong he was on his wedding day, struggling with severe second thoughts less than an hour away from the ceremony.

Naruto walked behind the counter as the owner of the footsteps knocked on the door. "Hey, it's me", Sasuke called from behind the door before letting himself in. He closed the door behind him before looking at his friend strangely standing at a distance.

"You okay?"

Naruto, relieved at the easing of his stomach, walked over to sit down on the sofa across from the wingback chair in which Sasuke sat. "Of course I'm okay"

"Just checking, you look a little flustered", Sasuke said looking over at his best friend's sitting composure.

"The press is going nuts outside", he said taking a shot of scotch from the table between them. "I guess they're waiting for something exciting to beef up their paychecks"

"Yeah, I guess", Naruto said looking down at the ground.

Sasuke moved to the edge of his seat. "Ok, I get it. You're giving up the women of LA, clubs, bars etc. but you're marrying fucking Charlotte Manassey! Cheer up!" He said chuckling with another drink in his hand.

Naruto cracked a smile.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten how you rambled on about his woman the night you two met"

"Yeah, I remember", he chuckled to himself at the memory of his own state of being smitten, yet still amazed at how that immense infatuation seemed to be all but meaningless on that day.

"Hey, I'm gonna head down to the chapel", he said getting up and walking to the door. Before he walked out he turned back with a sincere face.

"You've got a good thing on your hands, man", and he closed the door behind him.

_You have no idea how much I want to believe you._

Naruto placed his face in his hands again when there was another knock on the door, only this time it was a softer knock that made him a little less reluctant to pretend that he wasn't there.

Naruto looked up at the gold-molded suite door. "Come in"

The door opened to reveal a confident Sakura in a dark-champagne colored dress. Her earrings gleamed in the light coming from the window. As much as she disliked Charlotte, it was a sin to outshine the bride on her wedding day.

"Sakura", his tone of voice clearly conveyed that he expected her to throw the invitation in the trash. "You came"

She put her clutch on the table as she sat down in the wing back chair that Sasuke had just left, crossing her legs daintily. She looked over at his slumped over position with an 'I told you you'd be miserable' facial expression on her face, lightly tapped with foundation.

"Just because I think your fiancée is a vindictive whore, that doesn't change the fact that you're my best friend and I love you", she said as a mother would. Naruto looked over at her with desperate eyes.

"What the hell am I doing Sakura?"

She sighed with sympathy as she got up and sat next to him on the sofa. "I know how much you love that boy, and nobody came blame you for that"

"I just got so caught up..."

Sakura rubbed his back reassuringly. "Don't we all?"

"As soon as she told me she gave birth I guess I just shut my eyes. I couldn't see the best thing that ever happened to me slipping through my fingers"

"I'm going to ask you something that you've probably not been able to answer honestly all day"

"What?" He looked over at her with an inquisitive look.

"How do you feel about her?"

He sighed and leaned back on the sofa as he ran his large hands over his gelled back hair. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't know", he said honestly. Sakura rested her chin on her hand as she continued to listen to his lament.

"I love her in a sense that she gave birth to my child, but I can't seem to find more than that for her", he said humiliated. "I just can't"

"You can't go on like this forever"

"What other choice do I have? I refuse to put that innocent little boy through a divorce, I refuse", he said firmly.

"But you'll be a hypocrite if and when you cheat on her", she said as a fact. "You can't last in a marriage without-"

"Can we just not talk about this now, my head hurts enough already"

"Well it's gonna hut even more in about an hour", she said matter-of-factly.

"Meaning...?"

Sakura cleared her throat, hesitant to make Naruto's day even worse. "I begged him not to come but he absolutely _insisted"_, she said trying to prove her case.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Naruto shot up from the sofa and began pacing the floor like a mad man. "How could you let him come?"

"Stop yelling!"

"I think I have a reason to yell Sakura! I took his virginity less than two months ago and now he's going to be front and center while I'm saying my fucking vows!"

"Well what did you expect me to do? He said he'll sit in the back and all he wanted was a little closure", she said in Gaara's defense.

Naruto cringed at the word 'closure' as if they were in the form of a nail scratching a chalk board. He sighed. "Where is he now?"

"In the chapel"

"WHAT!"

"What's the problem now!"

"My father's in the chapel! If he even sees Gaara he'll have a fucking stroke!"

They both paused as they heard an escalation of voices outside. Sakura scurried to the door and peaked out making sure nobody saw her investigating form. She heard Minato and Kushina screaming over each other in what seemed like the front entrance.

"Oh, shit", she said in a frustrated voice as she grabbed her clutch and Naruto accompanied her in nearly scurrying out the door to resolve the issue at hand.

The both of them walked heavily out to the entrance of the chapel where they laid eyes on Minato and Kushina at each other's necks in a heated argument, and a bulky security guard holding Gaara by his arm, unsure as to whose orders to follow.

"What the hell is going on here?" Naruto roared.

Kushina snapped her head over to him. "Why don't you ask your father?"

"I don't want that slut at this wedding!" Minato spat shooting his finger at Gaara who only looked away. A rage flared deep inside of Naruto the he himself never anticipated.

He stepped in between his parents and looked at the both of them with such a frustrated and annoyed glare that they'd never received from him before in their lives. Sakura stood back and braced herself. She knew when Gaara was concerned, it was always a serious matter, whether he was getting married to Charlotte or not. She smiled inside at the thought.

He turned to his mother first. "If you're going to pick a fight with him, do it at your house", he said blankly, startling her.

He turned slowly to his father with clenched teeth. "I didn't pay all this fucking money for this wedding for you to insult my guests", the two tall men stood off for a moment until Minato threw his hands up and disappeared down the hall.

He barked gruffly for the guard to let Gaara go. The red-head wore a simple ensemble of black slacks a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a black tie. His read-hair was slicked back and parted on the side. Naruto immediately likened him to a school boy as he approached the youth for the first time in what seemed like years.

The he'd had been eating more in the past few days and made up for a lot of the sleep lost in the mire of days and weeks at his mother's house.

Sakura and Kushina took it upon themselves to leave the two to themselves. It was a bit crafty for a wedding day but the notion didn't seem to matter too much to the two women.

Gaara's heart began to pound madly as Naruto approached him. It was like someone unleashed the butterflies that were once bound in his stomach. They flew around in his stomach and sent him to the skies with the intoxicating smell of Naruto's cologne

"How's your arm?" He asked in a softer voice after the guard released him from the tight grip by Minato's command.

"I'll live", Gaara replied smiling slightly.

"Please excuse my father", Naruto said apologetically.

"Don't worry I'm used to your father by now"

They both chuckled briefly. There was a part of Gaara that loathed the fact that he was conversing so cordially with the man who cost him so many tears and so many night deprived of much needed sleep. It made him wonder what about Naruto made him forget so easily.

"Congratulations", Gaara said with as much sincerity that he could gather at the moment.

"Thank you", Naruto could feel the elephant in the room breathing on his neck.

They stood in front of each other for a moment or two. Gaara looked away to the window to the left and Naruto looked down at the youth with an adoring glance before Gaara began to inch towards the doors leading into the chapel.

"I think I'd better split", he said smiling. The curl of his lips and the wisp of his eyes drove Naruto wild more than ever before. "I don't wanna get in trouble with the bride for stealing her groom"

He waved meekly at the taller man and went inside the chapel to take his seat. Naruto watched from behind as he walked away and suddenly became angry at his father for rising up against something so innocent and vulnerable. It was a side of Gaara he thought he'd never see.

The tall man walked into the chamber in front of the entrance of the chapel where his mother was waiting for him to walk with him down the isle. Kushina looked over at him as the people in the chapel could be heard taking their seats and the organist began playing the wedding procession. The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered first.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Naruto gulped, feeling like a dangerous lie was about to pass across his lips. He simply looked forward and slightly tugged her signaling that he was ready to walk, leaving such a question unanswered.

Kushina blackened inside and put on the falsest smile she'd ever put on in front of the blind eyes of the guests that watched her walk with her son down the isle. The minister stood at the alter with a warm grin on his lightly wrinkled face as the groom made his way towards him.

Gaara watched as they passed with a foreign mixture of emotions. He was more than happy that Naruto had finally gotten the family that he'd always wanted; but was silently cursing himself for not fighting harder for those arms that sent him to the skies.

He silently hated himself for not running back to Naruto and making it clear to him that he loved the man more than Charlotte ever could. He felt like closeted thief, thinking such thoughts on her wedding day.

Naruto finally made it to the alter, the guests began to stand as the double doors opened for Charlotte and her father, Kushina stood in the front row and marveled at how beautiful she looked. Mary was in tears at her daughter's flawlessness.

Gaara soon realized that sitting right next to isle was a poor decision when Charlotte came in with her father. Charlotte had to stop herself from snapping her head over to him. Lance motioned with his head to the isle ahead. Charlotte tore her gaze away hesitantly.

Gaara smiled meekly at them and they proceeded down the isle. He wasn't surprised at her reaction to him. It was common knowledge that the wedding would be the last he'd ever see of the blonde haired man outside of the TV screen. He smiled to himself as the guests sat down.

Naruto gazed down at the woman in white who stood before him. She was more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. It was as captivating as the night he first laid eyes on her. Her beauty made it easier to suppress the underlying missing element.

The minister began to speak and his words droned on as meaningless mumbling, undecipherable from the soft rumble coming from the organs pipes.

Gaara silently reminisced over the way Naruto used to run his large hands down the crevice of his back, the way his insides fluttered wildly at the sound of his deep voice, how special it made him feel when Naruto thought to call him, how safe he felt in those strong arms.

The way Naruto used to reach whisper his ear, the way his skin tingled under his touch, how he felt when Naruto would pull up and wink over at him from the driver's seat. He laughed giggled just loud enough for the woman next to him to hear and look over at him strangely.

He wouldn't tell anybody, he wouldn't tell a soul.

The silent memories of love's short history were safe with him and nobody could take them away. He held them close like jewels, jewels from the womb of love and the heart of passion. A dirty look couldn't take it away in a million years.

"I do"

The brunette looked up at her groom with large hopeful eyes.

"Do you, Naruto Uzumaki, take Charlotte Manassey to be your lawfully wedded wife; in sickness and in health, rich or poor, for better or worse..."

The more eternities the minister rolled off, the tighter his collar became around his neck. He finished and Naruto realized that everyone was waiting for his answer. He looked down at Charlotte with as much adoration as he could muster.

"I do"

Those two words snatched Gaara out of his protective memories of bliss and injected him into reality. Naruto professed his love for Charlotte and sealed it with a kiss at the words of the minister. The soft kiss they shared felt like a cold knife through Gaara's already shredded heart.

He quickly regretted coming to the wretched occasion but didn't want to make a scene and waited until the bitter end of the ceremony.

All of the tears he thought he'd put behind him forever began to regurgitate along the rim of his eyes. He shook with anger in his seat as the crowd cheered, clapped, whistled and Mr. and Mrs. Uzumaki walked back down the isle together as husband and wife.

The smile on Naruto's face made the red-head's blood boil. _How can he smile after all of this?_

Naruto looked over the left where Gaara sat at the edge of the pew closest to the isle. His face was covered in tears but he wore a smile. It was frightening sight that made Naruto's heart clench with guilt and shame. He looked over at Charlotte who was waving at her friends and family as they walked down the isle.

As the newly weds exited through the double doors to the photographer, Gaara took his queue to leave. The youth nearly scurried out of the emergency exit and out to an alley that ran behind the church. He shoved past the paparazzi and strode out to the street.

Kushina saw him leave out of the corner of her eye and excused herself from the family members she conversed with to go after him. She called the security guards to remove the press that got in and went out the door after the distressed teen.

She walked out to the street to see Gaara waiting at the bus stop down at the corner. He unrolled his sleeve to wipe his damp face and barely acknowledged her coming down the sidewalk to him.

"Sweetheart, why are you leaving so soon?"

He looked up at the taller woman. "I really appreciate everything Mrs. Uzumaki but I think its best that I leave", he said solemnly. "They don't want me here"

"Sakura and I want you here", she said trying to offer some sort of consolation. "And what of Naruto?"

The bus pulled up to the stop and the pedestrians all began loading and unloading. Gaara began to ruffle through his pocket for some change. Kushina's heart sank at the situations at hand. It was the birth of a marriage in exchange for the death of a love affair.

"Tell him I had to work, I'm really sorry", he said softly as he approached the steps. "See you around Mrs. Uzumaki". With that, he disappeared into the city bus full of people. She stood at the stop as the large vehicle sped away leaving behind a fowl smell of exhaust.

The guests gathered at the entrance as the bride and groom got into a white limousine that was the first to go to the ballroom. They stood for what seemed like hours in front of the car to let the entire city of LA take their photograph.

Naruto looked away for a moment before they got into the elongated white vehicle to see his mother walking towards them with her eyes worried and her face careworn; something she only did when something was troubling her.

Naruto excused himself from his wife for a moment and went into the chapel after his mother. Charlotte looked after him with a smile for the cameras but a small crack of suspicion in her eyes of the reason for his sudden departure.

Naruto found his mother retrieving her purse from the pew in the front. "Mom what's wrong? What happened? Why were you at the bus stop?"

"Don't worry, I'm just a little disappointed", she said with a sigh. "Gaara left"

Those words felt like a slap to the face. "Why?"

"Face it Naruto. You have a wife, a son, a career. No one's going to waste their time going where they're not wanted", she said solemnly. "I weep for that child"

She placed a hand on his shoulder and went out the other door leading to the suite-side of the church. "Your wife's waiting for you", she said with coldness that shook the tall man out of his stupor. He dashed out the door to return to his bride for a few more photos and then left for the ballroom.

* * *

><p>A seemingly enduring bus ride into the projects of LA<p>

As the streets passed through the view of the smudgy window of the city bus, the sky outside began to get darker as the evening drew closer.

Back at his mother's house Gaara was nearly forced out into the world by the three women in hopes that he would regain immunity to pain like he did before. He packed his bags and boarded the plane with Sakura and Kushina to LA with much protest.

Going to the wedding was an idea of all his own though. He made the two women promise to take him to wedding if they were in fact there to bring him back to LA. He had to make it clear to himself that there was no chance of ever being with Naruto again.

He had to have something to say to himself when he would be alone at night, crying out for the blonde haired man. Only exactly the opposite was achieved, he found out, by going to the wedding of the man who stole his heart and to whom he handed over his virginity.

He received a loud screaming of obscenities from his landlord for leaving for so long without paying rent.

Gaara only sat through the screaming session long enough to pull a few bills out of his wallet and claim that it was all he had. He only snatched the measly $40 from him and told him 'you owe me twice your regular rent next month, you free-loading queer'.

As the bus pulled to a stop he felt like he'd just ran a marathon.

He thanked Angela profusely for not firing him after using up all of his sick days and even using up the sick days he didn't have. She simply told him that she understood everything that was going on and said 'be to work 7:00 p.m. sharp'.

As he walked across the street, the usual drug addicts pestered him for his pocket change as he walked up the ragged stairs to his apartment. He could hear Fred scratch from behind the door as he struggled with the rusty lock.

Mrs. Patterson saw him from behind her window and came out to greet him. "Hello stranger", she said with a laugh.

"Good evening Mrs. Patterson", he replied politely to the elderly woman.

"Where've you been all this time?"

"I went back to Atlanta to see my mother", he said wanting badly not to have to go into detail. "I haven't seen her in a while; being so far away"

She sighed in reminiscence. "I miss my mother so dearly, God rest her soul. She's been gone for almost 23 years now"

Gaara put a hand to his mouth. "I'm so sorry"

"Don't fret for me child", she said with a chuckle. "I still have our memories. You know memories are the only consolation for the real thing"

Gaara marveled at the simple truth.

"And the best thing about memories is that they last forever", she said as she inched back into her unit as the voices below the stairs began to escalate. Gaara noticed and they said good night to each other before they got involved in something they didn't want to.

As Gaara took his clothes off and got into the shower he wondered so deeply why he really left the wedding.

It wasn't because he was depressed or sad or sullen, yet it was because he was angry. The smile on Naruto's face made him sear to his very core. It felt like his heartache was being laughed at. It seemed as if his tears were being mocked; his pain devalued.

_How dare he smile?_

It would never be the same.

_Never._

* * *

><p>Two months later, Maude's, the back dressing room, 10:00 p.m.<p>

It took all the time that passed for the fire in Gaara's heart to die away enough for the residual to become invisible. He had begun working again and was doing significantly better in school due to his passion being rekindled by past events.

He never could quite shake the feeling that he wasn't still quite over the events that took place.

He'd paid all of the money he owed to his landlord and even managed to complete conversation with him without being called a 'freeloading-cocksucker'. He even had to admit that it had been two months of improvement from the previous ones.

His life had simplified itself in the instance that Naruto wasn't involved. Although, he wasn't quite sure if he content with that fact just yet.

He agreed to work a few extra hours that night. Angela had an engagement and couldn't close up the establishment for the night. They both figured that Gaara owed her for not firing him for all of the days he missed in the months passed.

There were a few customers in the dining area being waited on and Gaara sat on the velvet seat in front of the mirror lined with lights conversing with one of the dancers as he turned on the small TV set to see who was being interviewed that night.

He had grown to love his breaks after working for such a while.

Every night he watched the Powell Macey show who interviewed celebrities of the public's current interest. His face went white when Naruto's name came across the screen and the tall man walked out and onto the stage as he waved to the studio audience.

Mark, one of the dancers about a year older than Gaara, looked at the screen and back at Gaara's white face. "Honey, we don't have to watch this"

"No, no. I'm fine", he said turning the volume up a little. The show had been taped prior to its present airing and Gaara could just picture Naruto sitting at home with his son as the little boy marveled at seeing his father on television.

Naruto sat down as he caught a football thrown onto the stage by one of the fans in the crowd. Gaara braced himself as the interviewer began asking questions about the current state of Naruto's love life now that he had just recently married.

"_First off, Congratulations on the new wife"_

"_Thanks, Powell. She's amazing"_

"_And I understand that there was a little Naruto Jr. we didn't know about?"_

"_Yeah", he said sheepishly making the crowd laugh. "For such a little guy, he was a big ass surprise"_

"_How does he like having a dad?"_

"_Both of us love it. That little guy is my heart"_

_The crowd cooed._

"_So how is married life exactly? I mean I know it must be difficult for her with you on the move so much"_

Gaara's teeth began to clench. _HARD FOR HER?_

"_Well, I love her Powell and...", he professed as the crowd 'aww'ed. "She's the only one on my mind while I'm away"_

"_You wrote about her in a magazine article saying that 'you don't fall in love easily'. Care to expound on that?"_

"_Well, Charlotte was the only person in my life that I've really been in love with. You know, true love isn't something you find everyday"_

Gaara shook uncontrollably. The audacity of his words all but reached through the screen and slapped him. There was knot in his throat; making him feel as though he could scream loud enough for the entire world to hear his cry of anguish and frustration.

"_Are you the jealous type?"_

"_Hell fucking yeah I am", he said bluntly making the crowd laugh and whistle. "But on a serious note, when you love someone like I love Charlotte, you feel a little protective from time to time"_

The word 'protective' rang in his ears like an annoying bell being rang by an incessant child.

Tears were streaming down his face making the 'cat-eye' mascara run down his cheeks in an array of black streaks. He stood to his feet and stormed out of the door after snatching his bag from the hook next to the door. Mark ran out after him into the pub area but as soon as he could see out the door Gaara was gone.

_**I didn't know that I had that much strength**_

_**I ain't sorry**_

_**No, no, no...**_

* * *

><p>11:46, underneath the rain, a lovely estate inhabited by a beautiful family, the living room<p>

The thunder's crashing could barely be heard from indie of the modern home. Charlotte had just gotten back from Rodeo Dr. with Victoria and briefly kissed Naruto on his lips and went up the winding stairs to their room to change.

Naruto Jr. followed her up much to the dismay of her command for him to stay downstairs and bother his father.

Naruto sat in a tank top on the leather sectional in a pair of ripped jeans with an untouched bottle of beer on the table in front of him. Ever since he'd gotten back from their honey moon, he wanted to stay as sober as he could possible be around his son.

He flipped aimlessly through the channels as he passed up the interview he'd done recently and didn't even bother to look at it. It was vomit inducing. His father was sitting in the audience grinning at him the entire time, goading him to let each lie fall from his lips.

Charlotte had been out nearly everyday since they'd returned and it began to make him uneasy again. It was a silly suspicion, he felt, after all of the years that passed but that mediocre consolation wasn't enough to put his mind to rest on the matter

Their son walked around the house as if he were looking for something constantly and it hadn't quite started to worry Naruto yet but he could feel that it was soon to come up in discussion. The boy had many strange qualities.

He would throw temper tantrums that only Charlotte could break him out of, simply by whispering something in his ear. He'd begged her to let him in on the trick. She simply told him that she promised him sweets. Only, he tried it and he screamed even louder.

He let the issue fall out of his mind after a while passed and Naruto Jr. hadn't had anymore outbursts.

His phone buzzed making the table react loudly. He reached over to pick it up and noticed that it was Sakura. He filled her in on how his honeymoon went and hadn't heard from her since then. Her decision to call him was a surprising one to say the least.

It never occurred to him how much his choices affected her until he married Charlotte.

"Yo"

"_Hey, stranger"_

Naruto laughed. "You're the one who hasn't called in two weeks. That's a record for you"

"_Guilty. You've been out for the last couple of games, I've been with other clients"_

"Busy lady, I understand"

"_I'm_ _assuming that you haven't heard about Sasuke's latest fling"_

"I don't think his one night stands can be classified as flings"

"_Well this one can. It's this girl from Jersey...Isabella I think her name is"_

"How long?"

"_An entire week"_

"Get the fuck out"

"_I'm serious, a whole week"_

"I can't believe he hasn't told me"

"_Oh please. He probably won't tell you until they get married"_

"Why the hell not?"

"_Because, he has a rapport with you as the player/strip club hopping/hooker monger guy"_

"Either way, I think marriage is pushing it a little"

"_Who knows? _You_ got married"_

Naruto paused for a moment at the word 'married'. It sounded differently with each passing day. "Speaking of weddings; I didn't see Gaara at the reception"

"_He left"_

"Left? Why?"

"_Oh don't be naïve Naruto", she said. "Could you blame him?"_

"..."

"_I mean all he did was show up to wedding to see you off and nearly gets thrown out, then gets the stink-eye from the bride"_

"Charlotte never told me that"

_Sakura could feel herself stepping on thin ice with the choice of words she had at the tip of her tongue and felt that she would rather spare herself from being hung up on. She quickly changed the subject._

"_Speaking of Gaara; he called about an hour ago"_

"What about?"

"_That's the odd part. He asked for your address"_

"My address?"

"_Yeah, he said you for got something at his apartment and wanted to give it back to you"_

"At midnight?"

"_Weird right?"_

"Well did you give it to him?"

"_Well, yeah I assumed he'd just come by tomorrow"_

"Probably-"

He stopped mid sentence at the sound of the striking of metal. His eyes widened as he remembered that he forgot to park his car in the garage. _Fuck!_

"I have to go"

Gaara took one look at the shiny Lamborghini in the driveway with venom in his eyes. He remembered how much Naruto cherished the vehicle so.

_**But I'm glad you see what happens when you see you can't just play with people's feelings**_

_**Tell them you love, them and don't mean it...**_

He took the rusty crowbar in his hand and took a forceful swing at the window on the driver's side, letting the glass shatter into the car and bounce onto the front seat. The alarm sounded loudly underneath the sound of the pouring rain and thunder.

His face was covered in the smeared black mascara and never did he stop to notice.

He slammed the weapon onto the side door leaving an ugly gash in the paint. He hit again and again and again, letting all of his frustration and rage onto the car in the form of large dents and paint-abrasions. He smiled at the though of Naruto's face when he would see it.

He went around the other side and attacked the vehicle, screaming obscenities at it as if directed at the owner.

_**I bust the windows on out your car**_

_**But it don't compare to my broken heart**_

_**You can never feel how I felt that day**_

_**Until that happens baby you don't know pain...**_

Charlotte heard the alarm and looked out the window form up stairs, and to her horror she saw a red-headed youth smashing the side view mirrors off of her husband's car. Before even thinking of confronting Naruto she quickly reached for the phone.

Naruto dashed out of the garage in a tank top and jeans to see Gaara, in his tight shirt, fish net and leotard from work, now standing on the hood of the car smashing the wind shield inwards, letting rain fill the car. His eyes widened as large as saucers at the condition of his brand new car.

Naruto reached over and grabbed Gaara by his legs, yanking him off of the car and pulling him to the ground. The youth tried his hardest to strike the larger man with his fists but his attempts were futile.

"Let me go you bastard!"

"Gaara stop!"

Gaara kicked the older man in his groin making his roar in pain and let him go. He ran for the crow bar and smashed in the rear window.

Naruto ran towards him and Gaara brandished the weapon at him with a menacing scowl. "I swear to God, if you take one more step..."

"Gaara put it down!"

"How could you?" His voice was raspy and broken.

Naruto took as step backwards as he saw the angry look on Gaara's grief stricken and black streaked face.

"Look at me!"

Naruto stared blankly at him in the rain.

"Look at what you did to me!"

Police sirens and flashing lights illuminated the broken glass the littered the ground as two cars pulled up behind Gaara. Two men got out of the car and began screaming orders at the teen before yanking the crowbar from his grasp and forcing him onto the wet ground.

He grimaced as the cop ran his hand up his leg to search for any concealed weapons. He was freezing from his barely clothed form and the cold water falling from the sky.

While the officers handcuffed him, Gaara's eyes never left. He turned around to see Charlotte standing in the garage with Naruto Jr. clinging to her leg. He couldn't go after Gaara like he wanted to, the picture had been painted already.

An unruly criminal had appeared to terrorize an innocent family, says the portrait. The shorter cop came over to see if everyone was okay and it was confirmed that most of the damage was done to the car. The other stuffed Gaara into the back seat.

Neighbors peered out of their windows, stood on their porches, stood aloof in their driveways, lights turned on and a few even came over to check on them.

The attention directed at Gaara made Naruto sick to his stomach. He clutched his stomach with guilt as it overpowered him. Yet, he stood mute as the neighbors checked on them and the police car drove off with Gaara inside.

He had taken something that used to be so innocent and turned it into something that he couldn't quite influence anymore.

Gaara hung his head in the back of the car of one of the cars as it pulled up to the police station. The cop looked at his wilting form in the rear view mirror.

"That man back there that you just tried to assault, you have any idea who the fuck he is? Huh, queer!"

Gaara seemed unaffected by his elevated voice.

"That right there is a real fucking man!"

"..."

"What do you say to that? Huh faggot?"

"..."

"Huh?"

"I should've bashed his face in when I had the chance"

The two officers brought him in, processed him and threw in a cell overnight until he could come up with someone to come and get him in the morning.

_**Why am I the one who's still crying...?**_

* * *

><p>A busy street, a sidewalk as the wind blows, 1:00 p.m.<p>

A strong gust of wind blew threw Kushina's hair as she strode down the sidewalk from the boutique.

She and Minato hadn't been on normal speaking terms since the wedding and neither of them were showing any signs of complaint. She was beginning to warm up to the inevitability of their marriage's end. Only she greatly feared a divorce with a man with as much power as Minato.

When they married over what seemed like a few days ago, she never dreamed of the monster that Minato would soon transform into as the years went by. What was even more surprising was his reaction to Naruto's bisexuality when he showed so much fondness of the young man.

He claimed to have left for a business trip but Kushina was to keen on the older man's lies to be a foolish enough to believe anything he said in terms of leaving the state, much less the country for a business venture.

Her mother never liked Minato and Kushina was only now beginning to realize why. There was a look in the old woman's eyes when she first looked at Minato; it was as if she was looking at a monster. She tried to hide her suspicion but she knew her mother was never wrong.

That same look was only given to the most deplorable people that the two of them ever came in contact with one and she soon found out that the man she joined in marriage was far from exempt.

As she approached her town car and driver waiting for her she passed an electronics store with a few TVs on display.

They were all tuned into a celebrity news channels and a few people were standing in front of it with wide eyes in reaction to the story being revealed to the public. She stood behind a by-stander to get a better view of the obvious spectacle.

"_This just in! A little birdie told me that just last night; an angry fanatic sneaked into Naruto Uzumaki's gated estate in the hills and completely trashed his brand new Lamborghini!"_

Kushina gasped along with everyone else.

"_And it doesn't stop there. The prowler was about to attack him with the crowbar and the police arrived just in time, thanks to his wife who called 911 from upstairs"._

Kushina yanked herself away from the group of people and continued to the town car that waited for her. She began to feel so separated from her son after the wedding, even though it occurred only a short while before that day.

She got in the car and the driver began heading back home. She yanked her phone out of her hand bag and dialed Naruto's name.

She tapped her heels angrily on the car floor as it rang.

"_Hello?" His voice was groggy._

"So I guess I'm not important enough to know anything about you any more, huh?"

"_Mom?"_

"No, Beyonce", she retorted sarcastically. "Of course it's me!"

"_Can you not yell so loudly?"_

"It's 1:00!"

"_Did I do something wrong?"_

"Someone destroys your car and nearly bludgeons you with a crowbar and you can't even pick up the phone and tell me?"

"_I was going to call you"_

"Bullshit!"

"_I was"_

She sighed at his obvious fib. "Anyway, did you recognize who it was?"

"_Yep"_

"Well...who was it?"

"_Gaara"_

Kushina nearly threw her phone out of the window. She couldn't believe her ears, but at the same time she was astonished that he hadn't snapped sooner. She expected him to lose his mind earlier than he had. He had no patience left for karma.

"_I didn't know he-"_

"No! Don't you dare say you didn't know!"

"_..."_

"Did the police take him?"

"_Yeah, they took him"_

"And you let them? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"_What did you expect me to do? Tell the cops _I_ destroyed the car?"_

"He's 19! He doesn't know what to do in jail!"

"_..."_

"Get up!"

"_What?"_

"Get up right now and go get him"

"_You want me to bail him out of jail?"_

"Damn right I do! You got him in there you'll get him out!"

"_There's no way he'll come with me!"_

"Well you should've thought about that before you went off and got marr..."

"_Got married to Charlotte?"_

"...Just go and get him!" She hung up in a huff. She knew her true feelings of Charlotte would come out in conversation sooner or later. She only hoped that they wouldn't have come up in a conversation that was centered on Gaara.

* * *

><p>A jail cell, 2:20 p.m.<p>

_**For you I was just a flame,**_

_**Love is a losing game...**_

The concrete and iron bars that separated Gaara from the outside world made the confining place even colder than it already was.

They hadn't told him much, besides the fact that they were waiting to see if Naruto wanted to press charges. The thought of sitting in a court room with Naruto made his stomach churn. His dean wouldn't be happy about his recent actions, he knew for sure.

He wondered if his mother had already found out, or if Angela found out, or if anybody cared if he was in jail at all.

He chuckled to himself at the thought of him rotting in jail for the rest of his life because no one cared enough to come and get him. _Good riddance, I'll bet they're saying. _It was a grim thought, one that he wouldn't have found very amusing prior to his current condition.

He sat on a nylon mesh bed that hung from two rusty chains coming from the wall behind him. The cuffs around his wrists were beginning to discolor his flesh and he fidgeted miserably in them behind his back. Luckily he got a cell to himself, considering what he was wearing.

He still had on the tight t-shirt that said 'Hungry? Horny? Raiders fan? Come on down to Maude's'. The fishnet that covered his legs were torn in certain places and the booty shorts he wore were finally starting to dry from the rain the night before.

His converse shoes were tattered and torn from the mud he had to get through and the fence he had to climb to get to Naruto's house, his hair was tousled and his face was sticky from the dried and smeared party cosmetic the Angela wanted everybody to wear in lieu of 'kitty night'.

_**One I wished I never played,**_

_**Oh what a mess we made,**_

_**And now the final frame,**_

_**Love is a losing game...**_

A few juveniles and older offenders whistled and barked filthy obscenities at him as they passed his cell through the night. It was even harder to sleep in wet clothes on a rock hard cot hanging by a thread from the wall. The chains holding the bed looked like they'd had their better days.

He dared not use the facilities in the corner, on account that there was nothing blocking view into his cell and it smelled awfully.

Gaara sat up to stretch his legs after sitting in the same position nearly all night and morning. He wondered where Naruto was feverishly. Was he moved at all by what was said to him last night? Gaara thought over how angry he was the night before.

He'd never screamed at anyone like that before in his life. No matter how loud he yelled at the taller man, it still wasn't enough to satisfy the fire inside of him. He cried softly, trying not to wake the man in the cell across the hallway. The last thing he wanted was confrontation.

It was becoming clearer each day that he playing a game with people who were far better at it than he was.

It never occurred to him, the difference in he and Naruto's places in life and society, until then. Even though the red-head was well aware of the opposition to someone of Naruto's notoriety being associated with a waiter at a burlesque pub, he didn't expect it to hit him with such force.

He was supposed to pay his rent by that morning, and his land lord threatened eviction if he failed to do so. Even as he sat in the foul smelling cell, he tried his hardest to think of some way to appease the older man not to put him and his dog out on the streets.

Suddenly he heard foot steps coming down the hall as well a jingling of keys. He hoped fiercely that those keys would be the ones to set him free from the confining walls of the cell as the guard came by and unlocked the cell. The bars clanked loudly as they interchanged.

"Let's go", he said impatiently as he literally yanked Gaara from his sitting position and dragged him out into the main hallway.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked as he struggled to keep up with the officer's hurried pace.

"Your bail's been made, you're free", he said gruffly as they turned the corner and a tall figure stood in the processing room.

"Who-"

His eyes stopped his mouth from speaking when he saw Naruto standing in front of the desk that was blocked off by bars, talking to the woman in a blue uniform. He turned and his eyes softened when he saw Gaara's helpless condition.

In light of the fact that he was the one who came to get him, Gaara tried his hardest not to scowl at him as the officer roughly yanked the cuffs off of his purplish wrists. He massaged his sore flesh before taking a few short steps in Naruto's direction.

The officer behind him came out with his bag that he pulled over his shoulder. Naruto motioned with his head for them to leave and as Gaara walked up next to him he was about to put his hand on the youth's lower back only for Gaara to push his arm away.

Naruto wanted to be hurt by the motion but quickly reminded him of the circumstances.

The older man owned two cars, one for everyday use, and another for special occasions. As they walked out to the second car they were haunted by silence. Gaara walked about a half a pace in front of Naruto as they approached the vehicle.

Naruto walked briskly to the driver's side only to notice that Gaara kept walking. He dashed out to the main driveway to see the red-head walking to the street to get to the bus stop. He ran after him in a hurry fueled by the fear of his mother if he didn't return with Gaara.

"Gaara!" He called after him as he caught up to him. He tried to grab him by the arm only Gaara yanked away from him and turned to face him.

"Look, thanks for the bail and all but I think your _first 1ove_ is waiting on you", he said sarcastically as he turned away and continued walking. Naruto pursued.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He chuckled. "I see playing dumb is really your forte".

Naruto, in a flash or frustration, grabbed Gaara forcefully by his arm and yanked him within inches of his face.

"Look, I'm already late for practice because I had to bail _you _out of jail. The least you can do is get in the car fucking car and let me fucking drive you home", he said in a low, short and authoritative voice.

Gaara yanked himself from the immensely tight grip and nearly stomped to the car in a fierce huff after being scolded like child. He could hear Naruto walking up behind him and watched him out of the corner of his eye as Naruto came up behind him to open the door.

At the very instant of the sensation of Naruto's strong arm brushing past him, Gaara snapped his head up at him. "I _do_ know how to open a door on my own", snidely.

"Just get in", he said downward with a hint of recollection.

Gaara scowled up at him for a moment before doing as he was told. He sat down on the black leather seat in a huff and yanked his bag onto his lap as Naruto closed the door behind him. As he walked around to the driver's side he was beginning to regret his compliance with his mother's orders.

When he got in and closed the door Gaara had his arms folded and looked in the opposite direction out the window. Reluctantly he started the seemingly inaudible ignition.

The ride was completely silent as they traveled down the highway towards Gaara's apartment complex. It hadn't been very long since Gaara ran out of Naruto's loft in tears even though it seemed like it had been ten years ago.

After all that had happened, the realization that he still hadn't addressed the obvious issue at hand began to tug at his mind incessantly. It felt like a fly buzzing around his ears, poking, biting and chewing at him in order to coerce his fears.

Only he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly was holding him back. _Say something you big oaf!_

They ran into heavy traffic. Naruto looked over to his passenger who evaded his eyes.

"Look, we're both adults. We need to talk about this"

The 19 year old red-head sighed and turned to Naruto. "Oh, so _now_ you want to talk?"

"Well, we'll be in this car for a while; the freeway is backed up for almost 2 miles", he informed. "Now's as good a time as any"

"What is there to talk about, Naruto?" His eyes were fierce. "You got married to the only one you've ever _really_ loved, you have son, a beautiful house, why the hell do you need to talk to _me_ anymore?"

"Look, I know you're angry, and I deserve it but just listen to me"

"No! Did you know that some nights I cried until the sun came up! I had to sit there and watch every fucking celebrity gossip show call me a fucking home-wrecker!"

"Well what the hell did you expect me to do! The woman came to my house in tears claiming to have been raising my son on her own for the past 5 years!"

"You are so fucking full of shit! I never blamed you for being there for your son!"

"It sure as hell sounds like it!"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this! You mean to tell me that it's all my fault, right? It's my fault that you fucking forgot that I existed for an entire month?"

"Quit putting words in my fucking mouth! I never said that!"

"I get it Naruto, you wanted a quick fuck, no strings attached, and then go back to your wife. Because it's not like you told me you loved me or anything like that", he spat sarcastically.

"Gaara, I didn't-"

"What? You didn't mean it?" Gaara looked over at him with watery eyes. "This isn't an interview or an endorsement deal or a football game, Naruto. This is real fucking life!"

"..."

"You can't just break someone's heart and expect your fame and money to pay for the damages", he said before shaking his head in disdain and turning away to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Gaara, listen..."

"No", he said indignantly. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say anymore!"

Naruto reached over only fro Gaara to forcefully push his hand away. His eyes began to pour tears down his face.

"Don't touch me!"

Naruto retreated as the traffic began to move and the car returned to the speed at which it traveled before the accident that occurred up ahead.

"You know, the night we talked, I told my mother how charming and genuine you were", he wiped his face as he talked to the passenger window. "She warned me not to fall too far"

Naruto tried to pay attention to the weeping rose sitting next to him and keep his eyes on the road.

"But I didn't listen to her", he said finally. "Now look where I am", Gaara wiped his eyes once more and said nothing.

They pulled into downtown LA and Gaara became silently reminiscent of the night that Naruto would take him to an upscale restaurant that he only dreamed of eating at, treating him like something special, he only wondered why some things were to good to last forever.

As they were stopped at a red light, Naruto's phone began to buzz. He picked it up and looked down at the name. _Charlotte M._

"Hey, babe"

Gaara grimaced at the nickname he'd given her.

"_Hey, I was just letting you know, one of my aunts has fallen ill and Jr. and I are going to Seattle to pay her a little visit"_

"When were you gonna tell me this?"

"_Well darling we just found out"_

"When will you be back?"

"_We shouldn't be longer than 2 or 3 days"_

Naruto sighed deeply. "I guess I'll see you then"

"_Kiss kiss, bye sweetie", she said sweetly before hanging up._

Naruto placed his phone next to him.

"Some marriage...", Gaara remarked smartly, driving Naruto into a frustrated frenzy.

He slammed on the gas, cutting an entire line of vehicles off and drove them into an alley past the red light. Gaara looked over at the wild driver as if he'd completely lost his mind as Naruto yanked the exotic vehicle into 'park'. Gaara felt like he saw his life flash before him.

Cars honked loudly and people cursed furiously out of their windows when the light turned green.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Look, I get it! I'm sorry! I made a mistake! I don't love Charlotte! I don't! Are you happy now!" He looked over at Gaara with angry eyes. Gaara began to feel a fearful uneasiness in his stomach when he saw the veins popping out of his temples and through his spandex under armor.

"You could have killed us!"

"I'm sitting here trying to make amends with you and you won't even let me get a fucking word in!"

"Well, I'm sorry, maybe if you would have CALLED ME 3 MOTNHS AGO, maybe our conversation would be more productive!"

"There! You're fucking doing it again! I swear to God, talking to you is like talking to an angry pit bull!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I can't even talk to you when you get mad!"

"YOU did this to me; I didn't do this to myself!"

"HOW MANY TIMES TO I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE?" He was now panting and he looked down and noticed that he was clenching Gaara's wrist, causing him to struggle to break free. He quickly let go and Gaara looked up at him with fear in his eyes.

Naruto saw Gaara's trembling form and quickly retreated, running his hands through his hair.

"I'm sorry"

The red-head simply looked down at his feet as Naruto sighed in temporary guilt for his anger

"I don't know what to do anymore", he admitted leaning back. "I want to be there for my son, it's just that..."

Gaara said nothing as he felt a storm about to take wind.

"All that bullshit I said on TV, to my family about Charlotte, all of it was a lie", he looked over to Gaara. "But you've got to believe me; I wasn't lying when I said I loved you"

Gaara looked him straight in the eyes. "Why should I believe you now?"

"You shouldn't", he admitted honestly.

"..."

"I know it seems like I've been fine without you but I've been a fucking mess", he said.

"I've been playing like a fucking rookie, my coach thinks I'm losing my mind; I'm frustrated all day because she doesn't have time to fuck..."

As Naruto lamented on his current life Gaara tried with every ounce of strength not to let himself fall for the older man yet again. He knew it would be a catastrophic and detrimental mistake to allow himself to be ensnared in those strong arms again, but there was something that he couldn't quite put his finger on that made his efforts futile.

"I need you", he whispered dangerously close.

The red head locked eyes with him. "I thought your mother told you to take me home". He found it so astonishing that even after all the nights he wept for the grief caused by this man, he could be trapped in his charming words once again.

"She did, and I will"

"We can't do this, Naruto"

"Why not?"

"First of all, you _must have_ lost you mind if you think I'm going to forget everything", he said. "Oh and I forgot; you're married, stupid"

"Not legitimately, according to you"

"Still married nonetheless"

"Tell that to my dick"

"Did you really just say that?"

"I'm serious, I haven't had sex in weeks", he said smirking. "And I don't know if I ever told you but; I've got a thing for red-heads in fish net"

Gaara looked down at Naruto's throbbing manhood brandishing itself through his shorts.

"Well, I hope you find one"

"You'd make a hot mistress"

"Really? I don't think so"

"I think you should let me be the judge of that"

"Aren't you late for practice?"

"I lied; practice isn't for another 3 hours"

"You have a lot of 'truth' related issues, I'm seeing"

"When I saw you in those shorts, I just couldn't help myself"

Gaara laughed. "I'm still supposed to be angry at you"

Naruto looked left and right out the window, reached over and yanked the college student into his lap making him gasp briefly in surprise. He could feel Naruto's breath all over his face. H took Gaara's smudgy shoes and threw them to the floor.

"What did you do that for?"

"Your muddy shoes are shitting up my seats", he said matter-of-factly. "Stupid"

"They weren't that muddy"

"Yes they were"

"No they weren't"

"Yes they were"

"No they weren't"

"I told you about arguing with me"

"And exactly what did you tell me?"

"I didn't say too much, you did more talking than both of us combined", he said slyly squeezing Gaara's thigh.

Gaara looked away trying not to laugh. "I'm not helping you cheat on your wife, despite how much she dislikes me"

"What makes you think I need help fucking you?"

"That's not what I meant, stupid"

Naruto laughed heartily. Gaara could feel his rock hard chest vibrate with each chuckle.

"Well, you _are_ already in my lap..."

"You put me here, stupid"

"You didn't fight me"

"That's because you're strong enough to lift 5 of me into your lap. I doubt that fighting would help very much"

"They say you're not supposed to sleep with people who can take advantage of you"

"I guess I'm not very good at listening"

"What is it going to take?"

"The jury is still out"

"I'm not a very big fan of the justice system"

"Oh, really?"

"I'm guessing by now you've realized that I'm not letting you out of this car until I get what I want"

"And what exactly do you want?"

"That's a very dangerous thing to ask me"

"You don't scare me Uzumaki"

"There's a first time for everything"

Naruto grabbed the latter-teen by his ass to bring him just a little closer. Gaara moaned softly as the older man snatched his lips in a kiss that seemed to quench a thirst that accumulated for what seemed like forever and a day. He couldn't contain.

Gaara gasped loudly as Naruto took a bite into his neck. He could feel two large hands reaching underneath him and the same hands tossed him into the back seat with one quick sweep.

Naruto reached under the seat for a condom. He could see the red-head on the back black leather seat. It was as if his soft touch unleashed a wave of fire in him that could only be doused by the passion about to coat the inside of his car.

Naruto pulled the seat forward to give his long legs room as he climbed into the back seat on top of the racing student in nothing but the tight t-shirt that he was arrested in.

Naruto looked down at him the same way he did when Gaara handed his purity over to him. Their eyes met in a way that neither of the two could adequately describe. His sea-foam green eyes were anticipant for anything coming next.

Even though the fire in his heat was blazing, he still felt hesitant on account of Naruto's marital status.

"Are you sure we should do this?"

Naruto simply smirked down at him before wrapping his bare legs around his waist and swooped down to capture his lips. Gaara winced at the sharp pain of Naruto's entrance. He waited for a few grueling moments for his walls to become familiar with such a love again.

Naruto exhaled as the tight space firmly grasped his deprived manhood for the second time around. He slid slowly out and back in, making Gaara cry out in the sweet transformation of pleasure into pain.

The red-head cling to Naruto's neck as the pace picked up and the car began to rock. He called his name out again and again as the larger man devoured his neck and invaded his heat. Gaara bit his bottom lip at the overpowering euphoria of the throbbing length massaging his walls.

Gaara yelled even louder when he could feel Naruto dive deeper into his pool. He tightened the grips his legs around the man's waist as Naruto grunted furiously as his pace sped up.

The car shook even more as the student waved his hips upward at the man who beautifully invaded him in such a way that he never imagined. Naruto leaned down closer to Gaara giving him a better entrance.

A tingle went up Gaara's back when he opened his eyes to a smirking QB above him, panting like a wild animal.

Naruto went deeper than ever making Gaara scream his name at the top his lungs. The older man was now thrusting into him like a beast overtaken by passion. Gaara could barely contain himself as he yelled his love for Naruto as loud as he could.

He could feel his climax coming near as Gaara walls became moist.

They were both sweating as the QB leaned down to the level of Gaara's ear, all the while slowing his pace into the tight heat. The red-head could feel warm breath on his ear.

"You're mine"

About thirty minutes of fire went by and Gaara was now whimpering loudly as Naruto grunted steadily into the cavity of Gaara's neck.

Gaara felt a warmth as Naruto roared into in his release. The older man kissed him passionately as both of them caught their breath.

Before he collapsed onto the weaker body he flipped Gaara onto his chest. Gaara looked down at the panting man on whose chest he laid with exhausted eyes.

Naruto crossed his arms behind his head after discarding the sagging condom. Gaara removed his shirt rendering him completely bare and simply rested his head on Naruto's chest. He knew they couldn't stay there forever, but if only for a moment.

He sighed as Naruto used his large hand to trace up and down Gaara's bare back. He could never find a sensation that felt quite the same way as the touch of the man he loved. It was a feeling that he wanted to bottle up and save forever and ever.

"I can't get over how soft your skin is"

"It feels softer when you touch me"

"..."

"..."

"Any regrets?"

"Not really"

"Me neither"

"When have _you_ ever regretted sex?"

Naruto chuckled. "Fair enough"

"I've learned something today"

"And what would that be..."

"You can't break up with a guy with a big dick"

Naruto laughed. "Why do you say that?"

"Because, right when you're about to break it to him, you still feel that big mother fucker inside you and the words just won't come out"

Naruto howled with laughter.

"Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"Just because the head is red, doesn't mean that there's nothing in it"

Naruto laughed again.

Gaara traced Naruto's chiseled chest with his finger as Naruto looked down that he naked body painted onto him.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah"

"Do you love me?"

"I love you Gaara, you're my treasure baby"

Gaara closed his eyes as the moments passed.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah"

"Are we really gonna do this?"

No question was needed as to what it was that he was referring to. Their hearts knew more than anyone.

"Nobody can keep me away from you, babe", Naruto kissed his prize fully. "Always, know that you're mine"

"But how will we see each other? You're married now"

"Nobody has to know but me and you, I'll find a way, somehow"

Gaara kissed the older man fully on the lips as Naruto allowed his hands to invade his body.

"Put your clothes on. We're going for a ride"

"Where are we going?"

"You ask too many questions" Naruto smirked down at his lover.

Gaara smiled up at him with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

In the front seat, Naruto forgot to put his phone on hold, and all the while through the passionate love-making; all was heard by a stark man whose number was dialed by accident when Naruto crossed over into the back seat.

Minato crushed his phone in his bare hands as he heard the sweet sounds of lips parting and meeting on the other line. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His son had fallen under the spell of a lowly wench once again.

Something had to be done.

Gaara stepped over Naruto's football bag and hopped in the front seat as he started the ignition. As they returned to the street and went onto the freeway. Gaara leaned over to Naruto's lap as he drove down the road. He thanked tinted windows.

Naruto smiled softly as they traveled down the freeway and all of their cares signified as much as the dust behind, unaware of those offended by their passion.

* * *

><p>About 9:00 p.m. Gaara's apt. complex.<p>

Naruto had to run and didn't have enough time to walk the teen up to his unit.

Gaara nearly skipped up the concrete steps to his complex, being lifted by the air of love and the joy of being cherished once again. He never could adequately describe how he felt after Naruto dropped off after an evening rendezvous.

As he unlocked the rusty lock he could faintly hear Fred whimpering behind the door instead of his usual scratching in anticipation for Gaara to come in after a day of separation. He grew worried and tried desperately to get the stubborn door to open.

Only the harder he tried the more he heard the voice of laughter from inside, it was as if someone was holding the door closed.

He heard Fred yelping now and Gaara tried frantically to open the rusty door. Finally the door opened and the inertia sent him flying into the unit. He was all but petrified by the sight that he was greeted with as he looked at his place.

Everything in the place was trashed.

There were torn pillows, clothes scattered along the floor, food thrown across the walls, his hair mannequin was crushed and the false hair ripped off of its track. He looked over and saw two men sitting on his couch holding the mix by the neck.

One was a shorter man, of unknown origin; his assistant wasn't much younger than he was.

The older man looked casually from the TV up to Gaara and pulled a small sniper from his coat and rested it on his lap. Gaara couldn't take his eyes off of his distressed companion.

"Welcome home, Gaara"

His stomach dropped at their knowledge of his name and his ignorance of theirs. "Who are you people?"

"I guess you could say we're friends of a friend", he had a thick accent.

His assistant tightened his grip on the squirming dog making him whimper ever louder.

"Let him go!"

The two of them got up and approached the red-head menacingly, Fred growled, once free, and bit down as hard as he could on the older man's ankle through his slacks. In a reaction to the short and sharp pain, he kicked the small Canine across the room into the corner of the, leaving him unconscious.

"Fred!"

The two men grabbed him by his arms and put him up against the wall. "Fred is the least of your worries"

Gaara wished more that anything that Naruto would burst through the door and save him like he did in the past as he could feel a rifle against the back of his head.


	7. dance

Recently, readers, I've realized just how precious it is to have inside of you the passion to write. Not many people actually have a passion to write, without the intent of becoming rich and famous. It isn't easy, however, to shape such a craft. When one has an idea in mind, it seems so beautiful that one might be brought to tears, but putting that idea down in a fashion that will seem logical and logical in a striking sense is the hard part. Never have I come to such a conclusion in my life, and I intend to make this arrival to said conclusion well known through my writing. It is miserably irresponsible for a writer to curse her or his work in the face of those who read it. Because, if you think your writing is shit then why should your critics think differently? Writing is not meant to be shocking. However, in the light of some plots, purposes and subject matter; it can be...

Congratulations – Vesta Williams (R.I.P.)

* * *

><p>At some point it becomes alarmingly evident that some things are not worth what their price tags claim.<p>

However, when one is blind to the destination of the money, it opens up a world of curiosity whose openness goads the reluctant buyer to spend his/her hard earned money on it, only to run home and open up a box containing a monster.

The cold sniper rifle on Gaara neck felt like it was about to pierce the very flesh that separated it from the door on the other side of him. The small instrument couldn't have weighed more than 2 lb. but the fact that it signified the difference betwixt life and death, made it stronger than perceived.

The potential assailant chuckled deeply; the vibrations of the soft low laughter reverberate off of Gaara's back. His assistant began to rummage through his drawers and cabinets in search of valuables of any sort, giving Gaara some relief in such strife.

For he knew that the man's search was futile in that he had nothing tangible that could be deemed as valuable in his possession.

The red-head cringed as he felt the nose of the weapon travel down his back. When the sniper reached his ass he could feel the man draw himself nearer and could feel the stubble on his chin on the back of his right ear.

"Look around and see what he has in this shit hole", he barked to his assistant. "And hurry up"

A few drops of precipitation began to drop from the ceiling at it began to rain outside.

The burglar with the gun grabbed the 19 year old by his hair and threw him to the ground with a forceful push. Gaara screamed from the pain as the assailant kept the gun pointed in his direction. He felt nauseous every time he looked at the weapon aimed at him.

"If you try anything I'll blow your fucking head off", he said as his unzipped his pants with his free hand. Gaara backed up slowly as the man, who seemed to be 10 ft. tall walked dangerously closer and closer with the same evil smirk on his face.

"I'm going to have fun fucking you"

Those blunt words made his stomach churn violently.

Gaara's eyes began to water, partially in lieu of his utter helplessness, and his realization that death was coming his way faster than he ever imagined it would.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Gaara mustered all of the saliva in his mouth just to propel it onto the man's face.

He jerked his head back in disgust before wiping the warm excretion off of his chin and drove his fist into Gaara's nose with an annoyed and frustrated air. The red head griped shortly as the pain rushed to the center of his face and blood began to erupt.

The taller man grabbed Gaara by his now flailing legs and pulled off his shorts with a few tugs making Gaara protest loudly. He pressed his lips roughly to the younger boy and wrapped those same flailing legs around his waist, disregarding the blood dripping from his purpling nose.

The thunder resounded violently as the lighting flashed equally brightly. Gaara's mind began to race as the dripping ceiling began to fall on them. The assailant licked his finger and reached down to his entrance.

The power began to flicker on and off as the limping Canine crept into the bathroom. There was a gaping hole in between the toilet and the bath tub that was big enough for him to crawl and after he did such, he wriggled his way through the cracks and crevices of the bottom of the floor.

The power began to flicker violently and soon began to go off in brief periods of 4 and 5 seconds.

Gaara scream became strained as the larger man's grip on his neck began to tighten.

The intruder laughed maniacally at his strife. "I can tell you like being choked"

The lighting and thunder outside began to intensify, making the ceiling more aqueous and the power supply weaker. Gaara became more and more alarmed as he could feel the air stop coming through his airways.

The larger burglar rubbed Gaara's entrance with his throbbing manhood; all the red-head could feel was guilt. It amazed him greatly how even at a time like this, all he could think about was saving himself for the man whom he wished was there to rescue him.

The room went black.

In a desperate attempt to free himself from the snares of his assailant, Gaara kicked the man in his gut with every ounce of strength he owned making him grunt loudly in pain.

Outside, Fred scratched and whimpered loudly at Mrs. Patterson's door until the elderly lady opened it and looked down. Her gray eye-brows furrowed as she listened over and heard a gun shot sound off inside the unit next to her.

Her heart clenched as she closed her door and ran to the back of her apartment to the phone.

Fred stood out on the porch in the rain and sniffed at the door with a glimmer of hope in his brown eyes that his owner still lived.

Gaara began to sweat as he heard the bullet ricochet off the wall. In the nick of time he snatched his shorts off the ground and a few dimes off of the stand near the door. He struggled furiously with the door as its rustiness was increased by the rain and would not budge.

He could no longer rely on his phone that lied crushed in the corner.

The larger assailant was still recovering from the blow while his partner grabbed the gun from his hands and tried to shoot at him with the best field of vision that he could use as their only source of light was the 'L' shaped crack of light in the doorway.

"SHOOT HIM!"

In an act of panic the man with the gun shot aimlessly into the dark as Gaara still struggled to get the door open. The bullet bounced off the wall and grazed Gaara's left leg making him scream out in pain.

Gaara freed the door and fled out of the door into the pouring rain. He nearly tripped over his pet who sat waiting for him. As he heard the man coming out the door Gaara scooped up the Canine and ran clumsily down the stairs in a pair of horribly ripped shorts, torn fish net, no shoes, a ripped shirt and a wet hand full of coins.

Gaara limped frantically as he ran through the parking lot on bare feet. The man stood at the top of the stairs and shot a few rounds at him. The bullets never touched him, only hitting the gravel shooting rocks at his feet and legs.

"Stop!" His boss yelled at him through the door. "The cops are on their way now"

An orchestra of police sirens rang throughout the neighborhood.

The drug addicts picked up their supplies and ran into a nearby unit on the first floor; many of which had run-ins with the law previously.

The two men ran to the back of the complex, boarded their vehicle and sped down the other street.

A small trickle of blood ran down Gaara's leg as he ran around the corner and sought refuge betwixt the plastic walls of the phone booth. He could hardly catch his breath as he rested Fred on his hip. His hands shook uncontrollably as he fought to keep his hands still long enough to put the coins into the phone.

He put the receiver up to his wet ear and dialed the only number he'd come to memorize in his seemingly hellish life in LA. He waited impatiently as it rang, he hoped to God that the other end would be picked up by somebody, anybody.

It rang again and again and again, yet and still, no answer.

Gaara began to ball his fists in anticipation, in complete and utter frustration at his helplessness in the current situation. He never imagined in all of his most gruesome nightmares that he would be rendered defenseless and forced to rely on another person to be his savior.

It wasn't fair; he felt, that he had to suffer in the midst of such an unfavorable life that came with its own set of problems.

As the rain fell and Naruto's answering machine came on, Gaara simply put the plastic device back on its silver dented and graffiti-littered receiver. Even though he hated to admit it, he'd become more than comfortable with the idea of having someone to protect him.

He imagined that one day this entire fantasy with meeting a famous football player would present itself with at least one undeniable flaw.

It didn't make sense, however, that such a fantasy would appear so real.

* * *

><p>A phone conversation, midnight<p>

"Well..?"

"_We couldn't go through with it tonight, someone called the cops"_

"God Dammit! What the hell is it going to take to get you lazy slugs to deal with this kid?"

"_Complain all you like but I'm not going to prison for what you're paying me"_

"You've killed some of the most deadly human beings this world has seen and you mean to tell me you ran from the fucking LAPD?"

"_My face is posted all over LA. You know good and damned well why I don't lift a finger in this fucking city!"_

"I'm paying you damned good money!"

"_I'm not going to jail because your son's chasing after some slut"_

"Watch it!"

"_Look, we'll regroup and start again another day"_

"There might not be another day if he finds out we're onto him!"

"_Trust me; I know what I'm doing"_

"You'd better know what the fuck you're doing or you won't need any cops to land your sorry ass in prison again!"

"_Are you threatening me?"_

"No, I'm warning you. Do it or you'll be getting fucked in your fucking ass for the rest of your life!"

"_You're overestimating your means", he said smugly. "You know that if you make that call, you'll be dead before you can hang up"_

"I have the means to lock up all of you roaches!"

_He laughed tauntingly. "Don't get you panties in a knot; I'll take good care of your son's little muse soon enough"_

Minato grumbled something under his breath and hung up before pausing for a brief moment. His blood boiled as he sat in the leather chair in the heart of his private study. He couldn't stand his counterpart's foolish words.

He had no idea how such jokes burned like fire, burned away at his soul, his conscience, his mind.

For no reason, would he give up.

* * *

><p>An upstairs bedroom, 1:30 am<p>

Half of the truth holds the value of no truth at all.

Naruto rolled over in bed and wrapped his arms around the woman trapped in slumber next to him, in a pathetique attempt to find in himself such a warmth that would melt away all confusion and desire for things outside of a two-ton marriage already standing on toothpicks.

Much to his surprise, she and their son returned home at an earlier hour than what was expected. The fierce brunette claimed that her family found out that she was not mentioned in the will, opposite to what she was told before hand.

Naruto reluctantly believed her. His main source of content was borne of the fact that she was home; her being home provided an invisible shield for him to hide behind and protect himself from remembrances and recollections of past passions.

Even though he had already begun to accept the fact that he'd made a mistake, he'd also made quite a few attempts to rectify such mistakes without the option of divorce in mind.

With the deepest might he possessed in his loins, he searched for a passion for Charlotte that was strong enough to bridge the gap that stood between his love for her as a mother and his love for her as a woman.

But somehow, his attempts always ended in futility.

He couldn't fathom her luscious brown hair that gleamed in the morning light without losing his couth to a hair of a shade of red so fiery that its competition was singed away in the blink of a sea foam green eye. Large intriguing eyes fell short of sleek cat-like eyes on the battle field of his mind.

Naruto felt a pain in his core as Charlotte reached back with her hands to push his broad chest away as his highly radiating body heat began to irritate her slumbering state.

The tall man looked down at her as she scooted closer to the edge of the bed. In defeat he rolled onto his back and began to watch the stillness of the ceiling vie against the motion of the ceiling fan. He smiled as a chuckle tugged at his lips.

'_I swear to God, you're chest gets so hot at night', he said laughing before turning around to face him. 'Bet you 20 bucks I could fry chicken on your chest'._

He cherished the sinful moments during the day when a moment with Charlotte sent him reeling into a memory with Gaara.

He remembered that after they wiped their eyes from the tears brought on gut wrenching laughter, Gaara put his head on Naruto's chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was what he said afterwards that proved to be first thing ever said to him that stood aside from all else.

'_I don't care though', he said smiling as he traced the definition of Naruto's chest with his index finger. 'Because when I lay here, somehow I feel like nothing else even matters'._

Like the harpist strikes a chord with the finger, that simple sentence sent vibrations through the older man's soul that he still couldn't quite mute. It became clear to him that he was caught in a predicament far more serious than the issue of not being able to make love to his wife without feeling like a liar.

It made much more sense in his mind to attain the prize sitting right in front of him.

Even those around him goaded him on to such a prize. People who loved and adored him placed him on an even higher pedestal for a prize that even in the public's eye seemed to be all that he'd ever wanted in a lifetime companion.

But even such a prize was but a consolation to the grand prize so high in his mind that even the people down on Earth could not see it.

Naruto folded his arms behind his head as he took a quick glance at the door on the far end of the massive bedroom. His heart warmed at he thought of the boy sleeping peacefully in a room behind said door in a bedroom down the hall.

As his 27th birthday neared and the gap separating him from being thirty grew smaller, Jr. symbolized the difference in the sentiment of Naruto towards children as opposed to his counterparts.

He pitied, if not looked down on, men his age that fought to the death in court with a women with whom they'd slept with on a late myriad of drunkenness and horniness. Meanwhile the child rests in the middle, being used as a legal fruit juicer to squeeze as much revenue out of the father as possible.

It was a comical to watch yet detrimental to the child which was something that Naruto never wished upon any innocent being brought into the world.

He felt guilty, sometimes, for his deepest, most secret reason for risking his happiness and sanity. He secretly hated himself for compromising the fragile heart that he knew could only beat for him, in the name of such a conceited reason. But was it so conceited?

Next to him, on the night stand, lay his phone, whose ringer he forgot to turn back on when he left Gaara at his apartment earlier.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback <em>

_The night air still carried the sound of a loud gunshot that rang out at about midnight just a little ways off from Gaara's apartment complex as a sleek black vehicle pulled into a old parking lot that had been dilapidated by crime and time._

_Naruto looked over and watched Gaara jump a little at the sound of the firing of the rifle._

_He never approved of Gaara living in such a place but had to bow to Gaara's pride and stubbornness._

"_You okay?" Naruto looked over as he pulled the pedal on the steering wheel labeled "P"._

_Gaara massaged his forearm nervously before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine"_

"_No you're not"_

"_Really, I'm fine"_

"_You always rub your arm whenever you're scared"_

"_How did you know?"_

"_You've done it every time we pull up to your apartment while there's some sort of commotion going on", he said in concerned voice. "Which is pretty often around here"_

"_It's a shit hole, I know", he replied with a hesitance to get out of the car. "But hey, it's a roof over my head"_

"_Which, might I add, is full of holes"_

"_How do you kn-", he was interrupted by Naruto pointing up at the roof at a colony of holes scattered across the top of the weak establishment._

"_Well, everybody can't afford to live in a big expensive loft like you Mr. Quarterback", Gaara snapped back. "It's the best I can do"_

"_That's not what I'm saying"_

"_Then what are you saying?"_

"_I'm saying, let me..."_

"_No"_

"_You didn't let me finish!"_

"_I know exactly what you're going to say"_

"_What would be so bad about letting me put you some place safer?"_

"_I already told you, I'm not that kind of guy"_

"_What the hell are you talking about?"_

"_It's bad enough that your father thinks I'm a gold-digger", he said from within. "He's just waiting for you to wave some cash in my face and watch me come running"_

"_I don't give a damn about what my father thinks, and neither should you!"_

"_Oh of course _you_ don't care, his straight-football-star-son can do no wrong, he sees me as some leech trying to tarnish your good name or something"_

"_Watch it!" He looked sternly at his counterpart as Gaara folded his arms and tried to get out of the car only for Naruto to lock the door again._

"_Let me out"_

"_No"_

"_Why not?"_

"_I'm not finished yet"_

"_What's there left to talk about?"_

_Naruto moved in closer. "Why won't you let me do this for you?"_

"_Why do you even want to? You just met me a few weeks ago"_

_Naruto chuckled deeply. "What can I say? I'm crazy about you", he said putting his arm behind Gaara's seat. "And it didn't take me a long time to realize that"_

_Gaara turned to him with a small smile. "Has anybody told you that you were incredibly corny?"_

_As Naruto laughed heartily, the laugh tugging at his pursed lips busted through. _

_Gaara looked over at the older man and laughed even harder. Soon there were tears in their eyes. _

_Naruto soon got out and opened the door for Gaara to walk him up to his unit. _

_Once at the door another shot was fired from a seemingly closer distance making Gaara jump violently. He wished that Naruto didn't have to see afraid like that. _

"_Are you sure you don't want to come back to my place?"_

"_You'd like that, wouldn't you?"_

"_Very much"_

_Gaara smiled up at him then turned around to unlock the door. Naruto grabbed him by his waist and pulled him close._

"_If you need me, call me..."_

_A flower seemed to reach full bloom in Gaara's heart as Naruto captured his lips._

* * *

><p>12:00 a.m., a college English auditorium<p>

As the older professor droned on, Gaara's feet could scarcely be kept still. Luckily the bleeding stopped and it turned out only to be a small cut, as for his nose he used a remedy given to him by his mother for bruises many years ago when he would end up on the other end of a bully's fist.

He always hated sitting in English, for it was his strongest subject and few stimulation came from a class that many of the other students around him struggled miserably with on a day-to-day basis. This baffled him sometimes.

The night before, he had to come to the harsh realization that his knight in shining armor was occupied with something more important. Perhaps with his real damsel that needed him. Soon after being cursed out by the store owner, he left the booth, Fred in arms.

It was like lying down to sleep, knowing that a nightmare is waiting, as he walked back through the parking lot back to his apartment unit. Mrs. Patterson had gone back to bed by then. He went back up inside the womb of fear and discomfort, with only a half roll of duct tape to keep the door closed a few buckets under the leaking roof.

Gaara's mixed feelings for Naruto began to subterfuge as he sat in class, or so he wanted to believe. He knew that the previous night's events would be but an afterthought when he ever saw that man again, which was a question with its own amount of uncertainty.

He hated how he allowed himself to melt in Naruto's arms. As the time passed with him Gaara began to liken himself to a lump of clay. Every touch, every kiss, every thrust, every breath of warm air on his skin, every bite was engraved in him forever.

He could still feel the presence of Naruto's manhood between his walls; he tried not to give it very much thought.

That hour or two of passion in Naruto's back seat gave him hope that maybe Naruto did in actuality love him more than he did his wife. But all fantasies have one thing in common; their thin frailty is no match for the double-edged sword of reality.

His mother warned him.

Nothing could have possibly convinced him how he felt for Naruto when he announced his engagement to Charlotte only a few months ago. He wanted so badly to be happy for him, only there was something inside of him that felt otherwise.

It was something that he couldn't suppress, regardless of how hard he tried to push it down the bottom of his subconscious. Something that had began on the night that Naruto first made love to him. It was a feeling that had been confirmed when being held in his arms.

He'd felt many emotions concerning him in the months of knowing him, but through and through; that same entity reminded him constantly, if not daily that he was without a doubt in love with Naruto.

His mother's expression when she heard those words pass across her child's lips read a fear that he'd never seen from her. She was a fierce woman and feared very few things in the harsh world that they lived in, but somehow his feelings for the man frightened her beyond belief.

Gaara had spent most of his life in the company of women, young and old. However, a woman's intuition was something that he never could understand. She'd made her true feelings known about Naruto, even though he could see no trouble in the water.

Frequently throughout his childhood, whether by TV, a situation in the family or just through lament for another stranger, his mother warned him fervently about men and their wives.

_It's risky business; falling in love with a married man, _she would say. _It's like putting your heart in line for the incinerator _

Gaara was amazed at how some days he still felt naked in front of people. He wore a pair of tight form fitting jeans that hugged him from top to hem, and his usual Maude's shirt. He dreaded work after class more than nearly anything.

He dropped his pen on the floor from fumbling incessantly with it. Bending over to grab it, he could hear a few boys in the back rows whistling and whispering obscenities at him.

He only wished that his main dilemma in life was to pick out the guy with the biggest butt and the tightest clothes in order to ridicule him. These were things that he'd like to think he would trade in for being roped in a triangle with a married man.

But he knew that if he were entirely honest with himself, he'd never trade his situation in a million years. That entity inside him would never feel right if he wasn't the object of Naruto's affection, if he wasn't the driving force behind Naruto committing adultery.

It was a thought that was heavy with guilt but somehow knowing that he was wanted made the weight all the less heavy.

Still, it finally began to hit him that Naruto couldn't come to his aid whenever her cried out for him anymore. He was beginning to see with more clarity than ever, what exactly was the _riskiness _of falling in love with Naruto, in his married state.

Still, it was as frustrating as running on an endless road, trying to delete memories such as the ones he acquired falling asleep in his arms.

_**Congratulations**_

_**I though it would have been me...**_

* * *

><p>About two weeks later, an extremely loud football stadium, 10:38 p.m.<p>

It amazed Naruto how so many people could come together, regardless of race, reputation, gender, social, political, health status, and sit together in thousands of cramped, tiny and uncomfortable seats for several hours, but world peace being still out of the question.

As he looked out at the tunnel that gave only a small square glimpse of the floor of the stadium from where he stood, he let just a little bit more of the events of months passed to sink into his conscious mind, something he had bed deprived of by the speed of time.

The coach exchanged a few words with the team members before they went on the field for their game that was to indicate their participation in the next play-off game. It seemed a like a setting worth listening to but it was as if the strength of the sound of Gama-Senin's voice failed to penetrate his thoughts.

He smiled at the thought of his son bouncing uncontrollably in his seat above the game.

As much as he began to tread troubled water concerning the marriage between Charlotte and him, his fondness of the red-head had grown exponentially in the past few weeks.

His mother, father, wife along with other family members of team members, reporters, sponsors etc. were in the press box above all of the masses and he could already hear fans chanting his name from in the stands, when the LB snapped him out of his private symposium.

He listened to Gama-Senin's voice from inside to the huddled mass of players to hear him engaged in their prayer before going on the field.

An enormously loud round of whoops and hollers rang out as the players, all, hitting each other playfully piled up inside the tunnel on their way to the field. Naruto took a deep breath and joined the group deciding to come out last, a publicity strategy given to him by Sakura a long time ago.

As they entered the seemingly boundless stadium and the crowd's cheering was deafening, he looked around to see all of the fans in the stadium screaming his name. The dancers cheered as he walked through the path way of fog pistons and sparks. A few of them winked at him briefly.

He only gave a weak smile back as he entered the field.

He looked out to the crowd and could faintly see a glimpse of red in the masses. It could have been a brightly colored sweater, a scarf, body paint, or red hair; it was difficult to see without making his befuddlement known to those watching.

It amazed him how even the slightest glimpse of that color that he'd grown to be obsessed with could send his mind reeling into a world of thought, a world of touch and a world of passion, especially when the time and place were both most unconventional.

Others would be astounded as well, he imagined.

With a wife coveted by many men, a son who was the spitting image of himself, fame, an excessively privileged childhood, more money that many knew what to do with, a house as extravagant as they come and the interest of women across the country, how could he fall for such a person.

A 19 year old boy with fiery red hair, from a town that he previously knew not the existence of, going to school to be a make up artist, living in a place where rats and gunshots were the norm, and working practically naked at a pub just to make ends meet.

He would've thought to be a fool, anyone would have informed him a year earlier of the occurrence of an infatuation with such a person.

But he feared the silence more than anything. He feared the silence that this crowd's noise would be reduced to

He looked up to the press box and faintly saw his wife looking down at him as a reporter came up to him with a camera man trailing behind her. He smiled genuinely as she put the microphone up to her lips to ask him a few questions.

"Mr. Uzumaki, what's it like seeing all of the families here, you being a family man now?"

He looked out to the crowd again, seeing all of their faces, watching them cheer, wave at him, and smile down him. There was a rather large family of a husband, wife and four little boys; each one's face was painted. They all gawked down at him as if he were a god.

He could feel something inside tugging at his soul as he struggled to find the words to say.

It was a feeling of emptiness. It was as if the lie that tugged at his throat was being pulled back into him by the desperate but persevering truth that lie inside him; a confliction between two ties to two people and a heart in between not knowing who or what to give into.

"It's nothing short of amazing", he said simply with his six-figure smile that graced the side of every city bus, billboard and all forms of media circulation.

As the game began and women and men alike began hooting and hollering for their team, Charlotte sat in the seat in which Gaara sat when invited to the game with a look of anticipation on her face, lightly touched with foundation.

It was a look of insight and knowledge of the occurrence of something she knew very well was about to take place that evening. Kushina looked down from her standing position at her daughter in law with a look of not worry but keen inquisitiveness.

"Something wrong, sweetheart?" With the fervent and constant coercion from her husband and son, the older woman acquired the inner fortitude as well as resistance of her gaga reflex to show some sort of politeness to the younger woman in public settings.

Caught off guard by virtue of her unawareness that anyone was watching her, she appeared to be yanked out of a self-quandary. "Hm? Oh, no everything's fine. Thank you".

"Oh, okay", she said in tone that signified the incompletion of her questioning as he sat down close to her. "So how're things with 'you know who'?"

"Their wonderful", she smiled. "Dreamlike, I would even say"

"I'm glad", Kushina turned back to the game, being left to her intuition.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Diary, <em>

_Sorry about the late entry, these last few weeks have been a little hectic to say the least. _

_But I guess you can say I'm not entirely upset about the recent chain of events. I guess 'puzzled' is a better word mostly because of the lack of a better one. All and all, I'm starting to think I made a mistake. And not an 'oops I walked out of the house with two left shoes' kind of mistake._

_I don't know if you remember or not, but about a year or two back when I first got to LA and just started working here, I was scared shitless, I didn't know anybody and I hadn't a penny to my name._

_Although much of that hasn't changed much..._

_Anyway, it was my first or second day on the job and Chloe came up to me one day while I was cleaning tables after closing. She tapped me on my shoulder and handed me a small white business card._

'_You look a little lost', she said. 'Go to this address and you'll find out all you need to know'_

_I had no clue what she was talking about until I looked at the name on the card. 'The Clairvoyant Pashia: Tarot, Crystal Ball & Palm Reading'._

_As soon as I saw it I crumpled it up and threw it away. _

_I never believed in that stuff and I didn't plan on it. Those silly old women only feed you generalities and wave their crinkly old hands over a glass globe just to con you out of $40. Who ever said there's no such thing as a con-woman._

_At any rate I'm pretty sure I'd demand my money back if she'd told me any of this shit would've gone down. I'm having a little trouble believing it now. Since we last talked I single-handedly managed to disobey my heart and my better judgment in 24 hours._

_So just to spare you all of the details, and because this pen is running out of ink; Naruto got on this talk show and all was well until he started getting interrogated about his love life and previous flames in his lifetime as a bachelor._

_He said that Charlotte was the only one he ever 'truly' loved. _

_A slap in the face? I thought so too._

_So I politely went over to his neighborhood, climbed the fence, sneaked past security, and smashed the windows out of his car._

_Immature, you say? I disagree._

_All I could see was red, and not because my hair was in my face. I was so angry, it was as if someone had reached in and set my heart on fire with a lit match. I couldn't believe he said that, and on live television, to just toss me aside like I meant nothing._

_And yes, I'm very aware that he wasn't going to give up his career just for the sake of telling the truth, but at the moment, all sense, all better judgment, all morals, all thought escaped me and the next thing I knew, I was smashing away at his car in the pouring rain._

_He came out and tried to stop me but by then his wife had already called the police, I could see her standing in the window far above me in one of the windows, it was as if she'd was watching animal control take a rabid dog away, I've never seen such a look of disgust._

_It was like she was wiping a fly off her windshield. I only began to feel guilty when I saw the little boy crying next to her, fucked up time for me to get my head screwed back on. _

_It was all over the news, 'red-headed youth vandalizes Naruto Uzumaki's $200,000 car and threatens him with a sharp weapon'. People still look at me inquisitively when ever I walk in to work. This already the second time they've heard about this red-headed individual from LA._

_I wish I could say what's on my mind but I remember that it's not just my ass on the line, and I hold my tongue._

_In any case, he must have felt guilty, him being the only one in the country who knew why I really did what I did, and bailed me out the next day. _

_Somehow or another, we went from screaming at each other to fucking in the back seat in an alley. Its funny how love works, sometimes you fight, sometimes you wanna gauge each other's eyes out, but the outcome is always the same._

_And then it hit me, I was never angry at him, but angry his goddamed fame!_

_But at the same time, I know his career was there before I even came into the picture, and who am I to make him give that up. Football is everything to him; he's been married to the game longer than I've been alive most likely._

_And I know Charlotte loves him, probably more than I do. They share a child together, that's something, as much as I hate to admit, will never have with him, she was there when he was just a rookie, damn sometimes it hurts to write this shit down._

_I can't help but feel like I'm back in square one again. I understand where the money fits in, the fame, the wife, the child, but where do I fit in. What about me? _

_I know how that sounds but..._

_Fuck!_

_Sometimes, and I'd never tell anyone this but, sometimes I wish, deep down inside, that maybe if I were a w..._

_Wait! I've come too far to sit here and throw a pity party for myself. So what if he's married? I know I'm standing out on a limb here but there still is the possibility that he'll leave her. It doesn't happen often but it's a definite possibility._

_Oh God, I can't believe I just wrote that down. I sounded like monster, or even worse; a home wrecker. I don't know what I'm saying; I could never live with that on my conscience, knowing that I made him fight for custody in court. _

_He'd lose all of his endorsements, fans, sponsors, friends, teammates, money, his house, car, and his wife. And for some strange reason I feel like if keep telling myself that he'll lose all of that, then maybe it'll start to sink in, but it just won't._

_Maybe I'm just blowing this whole thing out of proportion. I know it sounds a little slow but telling by the way things have been going, how do I even know if he's ever remotely considered giving all of that up just for me? I'd be surprised if the thought ever crossed his mind._

_Maybe we were meant to be just friends..._

_Damn! Why did I have to wait until my 15 minute break to start questioning all the things he's said to me?_

_It just isn't fucking fair, all I did was come into work that night and that bastard just had to fucking pick the bar that _I_ worked in. My life was just fine before he came with all of his groupie-bitches and his homophobic father._

_Granted, I'd been robbed, mugged, and a crack head tried to steal my dog before I met him but at least I didn't have to worry about the paparazzi following him as he 'rushed to the rescue'. I never thought I'd say this but maybe things would've been better if I never came to this grief-ridden city._

_And maybe it's only grief-ridden for me but I just...I don't know anymore. Fuck! My head hurts!_

_Oh shit, it's 11:15._

_I won't cry anymore. I won't_

_Never mind, my break's over. _

Gaara closed the hard cover binding of pages of lament and sorrow for the time being and wiped his eyes. He soon gathered that the layout of the new environment would indeed take some getting used to.

He scooted out of an empty booth the back of the establishment, and walked back to his locker in a fashion that would lead one to believe that a luminous black cloud followed his each and every step; a few men sitting at the bar eyed him in contempt as he passed through the double doors.

Turning the combination into the lock on the blue tin door, another employee walked up behind him.

She was a woman who looked to be about a year older and an inch taller with a hair of such a darkened brown color that it appeared to be black when she walked out of the reaching distance of a light fixture hanging from the ceiling.

"You new here?"

He turned around reluctantly not wanting anyone to see the product of the events passed dried onto his face and in some areas still wet in the crevices of his green eyes. "Yes".

"I can tell, the guys out there don't take new guys too well", she said smacking on her licorice gum. "Especially since you replaced Eddy"

"Thanks for the tip but I highly doubt that's why they don't like me", he said closing his book of private thoughts into its metal protectorate. He reached down into his pocket for his name tag and struggled to pin it back onto his tight black "Wasted Frog" t-shirt that all the employees were required to wear.

She looked down at his tight black jeans. "Well, you being a fag doesn't help much either, if that's what you mean"

He looked at her for a moment with a hint of shock at her bluntness. "Couldn't have said it better myself". _I knew I should've changed before I left._

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a chord struck in her memory as she laid eyes on the back of his head and for the first time in that instance paid close attention to the color of the hair that was on it, as well as reexamining his height.

Dismissing him as just a simple look-alike, she let him walk out of the door without giving him trouble about it.

The Wasted Frog was a much older as well as much larger establishment than Maude's and catered more to the heterosexual crowd instead of the opposite and more to the male half of said crowd, something Gaara dreaded when applying for the job.

However its close proximity to his main job and the university made it a more palatable place to work.

He walked past the bar crowded with people as their voices got louder and louder as he got to the serving counter. Their eyes were all glued to the large flat screen televisions that were mantled onto several parts of the wall in the place.

_Holy shit they're loud. Naruto must be flying over the goal post or something._

He grabbed a large tray of food and drinks in another hand and as he walked out to the table of people he had to keep his balance after he was startled from the crowd's reaction when Naruto scored the winning touchdown of the game.

As he placed the food down with a smile he looked up at one of the screen to see the whole team rushing out on the field with the blonde-haired man hoisted on top of the mass of celebrant team members.

* * *

><p>An average sized V.I.P. area full of players, coaches, dancers, sponsors, endorsers and a few fans<p>

Standing in the middle of a crowd that seemed not to have an end or any boundaries, Naruto waited for the time to pass as he became a little more relieved with each person who went to talk with another team member.

Deviating from their usual routine after a win (going out to the titty bars or the clubs) was an idea rounded out by Gama-Sennin after finding out about a recent team member who'd gotten a woman pregnant the night they won their way into the playoffs.

He knew they'd only do the same after the 'meet and greet' like occasion was over and would party until the sun graced their sensitive eyes again.

Naruto for one was nearly drowning in boredom as many women walked up to him for an autograph on her leg or breast while Charlotte was in the restroom or chatting with some of the other wives of players and other notable men at the occasion.

Through and through, his mind couldn't leave the red-headed waiter as much as he tried to think of other things. After finding such a task harder than he initially imagined, he began looking left and right to see if any one was either coming to speak with him or watching from afar.

"Looking to escape?"

Naruto nearly jumped out of his suit before he realized that his mother was standing behind him the entire time, watching him look frantically for an escape from something he'd found to be one of the many downsides of life off the field.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well it isn't at all because you're squirming like a trapped animal", she said sarcastically. "It's pretty obvious that you don't want to be here"

Naruto chuckled. "I guess you know me better than anybody in here"

"You're damn right I do", she said taking a sip of one of the two Cosmos in her hand. "And I know you well enough to know where you want to be"

He sighed. "Can we not do this here?"

"Do what?"

"Please don't play dumb, you know exactly what I mean"

"Well excuse the hell out of me for being honest", she said gulping it down. "I'm the only person in this goddamned family who still knows what that word means"

"You're drunk"

"By whose standards?"

He abruptly took the drink from her and placed it on the table next to them before pulling her by her arm out to the hallway, grabbing his bag and heading into the elevator. He was stopped short by his father who looked as if someone had set the bar on fire.

"What the hell is the problem?"

"The question is, what the hell is the problem with your face? I mean really, how do you get away with being so goddamned ugly", she said before bursting into laughter.

Minato looked grimly at his son. "Call her a cab".

He nodded softly and led her away with Charlotte looking and laughing secretively with the rest of the wives on the opposite side of the lounge. Minato looked back to the puzzled and awkward faces of those he was conversing with an apologetic smile.

"She's had a little too much to drink tonight", he said with a hint of frustration in the back of his throat; only threatening to show in his tone of voice.

As they waited in the elevator his mother, who'd removed her heels and began singing Judy Garland's show tunes, put her hand on her son's shoulder.

"You know, the way you snapped at me in there, is a pretty good indication that you haven't been getting any lately", she slurred as she struggled to keep her balance. The elevator door opened and to Naruto's delight there were no fans, who'd most likely all gone home.

"..."

"I'll bet sex you and Gaara fucked liked rabbits"

"Mom!"

"I'll be quiet"

The clock on the wall above them read 12:44 a.m.

They walked out to the street and a few fans came up to him to asked for an autograph as the both of them waited for a cab to drive by and as one came by Kushina waved at him to drive up.

He turned away from the few guys who came up to him to see his mother smiling at him hauntingly. "If you'd choose that over happiness..."

She simply said nothing more and got into the cab, giving Naruto a chance to watch them drive away before walking to the parking garage to retrieve his own vehicle.

* * *

><p>A lonely bus stop, 1:00 a.m.<p>

As Gaara could pictorially recall, back in Bienville, the lights of the entire town were out at about 10:30. No one was out and about with the exception of criminals and people working the graveyard shift; which did not entail very many people, considering that few establishments ran 24 hours.

Their neighborhood was settled on a slight rift in the landscape of the town and many of the people in Bienville snidely named to neighborhood 'tramp territory'.

Full of men struggling with their sexuality, unmarried mothers, former drug addicts, strippers, whores (men and women), divorcees of two and three times and any other that would be kindly led to the sinner's row on Sunday, populated the only subdivision in the town without a name.

The other subdivisions held whimsical and nature-inspired titles, Piney Shore, Meadow's Water, Sycamore Cove etc.

The tiny neighborhood of only 28 houses was constantly in limbo between various different owners and because of a new owner learning of the people living therein, he left the title to anyone else looking for a quick check before he was to leave as well.

The group of homes was never cared for enough to be given a name by its owner, whomever he might have been at the time, and after long days at work, in the extremely conservative town, amongst those who looked down upon them, the residents were too worn and ashamed to care.

Instead, its title was signified by satirical taboos, fierce melancholies assumed to be occurring there by those outside and crass nicknames exchanged over tea after church on Sunday.

As he waited at the stop for a rumbling, humid and rank vehicle to pick him up and take him home, he looked down at his phone at the time to see that it was just a little past one in the morning. He always wondered what it would feel like to work what the people in his home town used to call 'city hours'.

His hands were still pruned from cleaning the beer out of the carpet after a drunken homophobe 'accidentally' tripped him while he carried a tray of the thick lager in his hand. He was relieved, however, that he only had to work an extra job until he got himself out of the hole he got into when he left for Atlanta.

The street on which he waited for the bus was a street full of run down apartments, liquor shops and crack houses. He always resented the city transportation ordinance for putting the bus stops in the worst parts of every area of the city.

He could faintly hear two women laughing in the distance down the street in the wake of a light that shined into the pavement.

Suddenly his phone buzzed in his hands. His heart raced at the suddenness after thinking to himself for such a period of time. His heart raced even faster when looked down at the name of who was calling him at 1 in the morning.

_Naruto U._

The name and the hour of day put him at a pause long enough for him to miss the sleek black vehicle that was coming down the road, despite its head lights.

"Naruto...hey"

"_You sound surprised"_

"You just won a playoff game; I guess I thought you'd be with-"

"_My team? I think they'll manage without me", he said laughing._

"I was going to say your wife"

_He scoffed with a microbial hint of humor. "Sh_e _didn't look too sad to see me leave either"_

"Oh", he said running as fast as he could away from the topic as possible. "So...what did you want?"

"_What? I can call just to talk?"_

"Sorry"

"_I'm kidding", he said before pausing and honking horn and rolling down his window._

Gaara jumped out of his conversation to see a smirking QB looking at him from the inside of his car before hanging up. He laughed softly as he looked away in embarrassment. It amazed him how after knowing him for the current time parameters, Naruto could make the butterflies in his stomach fly freely.

"Need a ride?

After dropping his phone, he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. Bending over to pick it up, Naruto's grin grew wider. "Damn, all you had to say was 'yes'", he said laughing.

Gaara got back up and grabbed his bag before pulling the door handle and watching it lift up for him to get in. As they began to drive down the street, Gaara immediately noticed that their path was not headed for his dreadful apartment complex.

"I thought you were just taking me home"

"It's only midnight"

"Its 1:15 and I'm hungry for the leftover Chinese in my fridge"

"I know this pizza place on the west side"

"But you just won a game..."

"So?"

"What if somebody sees you?"

"You let me worry about that"

"I'm scared"

"O ye of little faith", he said chuckling. "Besides, you almost cost me the whole fucking game"

"Excuse me!"

"You heard me"

"What did I do?"

"You didn't _do_ anything", he said. "It's just that...I've thinking about you from the time I got on the field up until now". They stopped at a red light that seemed to last forever as Naruto, with one hand still on the steering wheel, looked over to his passenger.

"And this isn't the first time this has happened"

The green foam at the foot of the sea amongst the rocks, the sand, the sun above the moon's tide and the creatures therein, met with the blue waters and all of good nature stood still to watch such a connection between a body of water and the product of weathering and time.

Gaara laughed nervously. "Now I feel guilty", he said, not comprehending how he should process the words just given to him. The light turned green.

"I had to see you"

"..."

"Even if just for a little while"

"But I thought you said things would be different now"

"They are", he said smirking over to him as they pulled to a stop. Gaara smiled at him as Naruto got out to open the door. He looked out to the place where which they parked to the side of. It was a very 1990s-esque shop with no one inside. It appeared as if they were about to close.

"Naruto, are you sure this place is open?" He looked up to the top of the door where a neon lit sign of red, green and white read 'Tucci's'.

The taller man looked around the block to see if any paparazzi were around before motioning with his head for Gaara to come inside.

It was a large establishment with two floors on the inside and an older woman with gray hair was sitting at the front desk filling out some papers when she looked up to see Naruto advancing towards her. Her eyes lit up as she nearly leaped from her chair to squeeze the life out of him.

"Naruto!"

"Bella!"

"Oh my goodness what a surprise! We haven't seen you in months!"

"It's only been two weeks", he said with a humorous chuckle.

Gaara clasped his hands in front of him shyly as he smiled softly at the 'reunion'. Bella looked over at the younger and shorter boy standing behind him.

"And who's your friend?" She said as Gaara waved with a simple 'hi'. She looked over at Naruto. "Well aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Gaara-Bella, Bella-Gaara", he said as they both shook hands.

"What an interesting name, Naruto's been talking about you for a while now"

"Bella"

"That was until that Charlotte girl came into the picture"

"Bella"

"Come to think of it, that fanny of yours matches the description too"

"Bella!"

"I'm 62 years old; I can say whatever I want"

Gaara laughed as a man who looked to be about the same age came through the door behind the door behind the counter. "Well, well, well, I guess the star of the night decided to pay us common-folk a visit", he said as he gave Naruto a firm handshake.

Bella went up to him and place her hands on his arm. "Frank, this is _Gaara_, Naruto's 'friend' he's been talking about this whole time".

"Well I'll be damned", he said making his wife laugh as much as he made Naruto blush. "So we finally get to meet the famous Gaara".

Gaara looked over to them and over nervously, not knowing what to say. He had to admit, keeping someone's identity a secret was not one of his fortes. The older man looked at him reassuringly as he went over to him.

"Don't worry about us son", Frank said putting his hand on Gaara's shoulder. "We know _everything_".

Gaara smiled up at him. "So exactly how much does he talk about me?" He looked over at Naruto who smirked back at him when Bella burst into laughter.

"He only says your name in every sentence. Gaara this, Gaara that", she said patting the larger man on his back. "It's simply adorable"

"Okay, you guys have anything to eat around here", he said rushing everyone off the subject of his infatuation. "I'm starving"

Frank went to the back and came out with a silently crackling pepperoni pizza and led the two upstairs to a booth that was still lit. Gaara sat down first and Frank winked over at Naruto before leaving.

"Try not to lay the charm on too thick champ", he said laughing heartily as he walked down the steps. Naruto placed his hand on his temples as Gaara laughed behind a cupped hand before taking a sip of the drink in front of him.

"They seem to know you pretty well"

"They should, I've been coming here since I was twelve"

"Twelve?"

"Twelve. I would come here after school, and when I got my first car this was the first place I drove", he said as Bella came up the stairs with a bottle of wine.

"Anyone want a drink?"

"I'll take one", Naruto grabbed a wine glass from her hand and she pored a dark red wine into the glass.

"What about you? Wine?" She motioned over to Gaara.

"Oh, no thanks, I'm underage"

"Underage! How underage are you?"

"I'm 19"

"19! What fun age that is", she said turning over to Naruto. "Why didn't you tell me he was 19?"

"I didn't think it was important"

"With a two young things like you two, I'll be the sex is just nuts!"

"Uh, Hello?" Naruto pointed to the ring on his finger.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Naruto's wine went down the wrong pipe as Frank yelled at her from the first floor. "Bella, get back down here and leave them the hell alone!"

"I'll come back down there when I'm good and damned ready!"

"Don't make me come up there!"

"Go ahead and try it, pal!" She looked over at the two, one laughing at the display and the other with his head in his hands, and simply smiled and made her final exit. Naruto looked over at Gaara who gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry you had to see that"

"I just love them", he said taking a bite of the pizza in front of them. "I wish they had people like that where I grew up"

"Come to think of it, you don't talk about where you grew up a lot"

"There's a reason for that", he replied cynically.

"Not nice people?"

"It would be a credit to them to even suggest that they're human", he said scornfully. "They treated me and my mother like cretins that crawled from under a rock somewhere"

"..."

"When I left and came here, she moved to Atlanta and neither of us ever looked back", a hint of solemnity crept into his eyes but he quickly brushed it off. Naruto wanted badly to forget it as easily as Gaara had but here was something in him that wanted to explore deeper into the earth, beneath the toughly packed soil.

"You're dressed a little tamely for Angela's taste, aren't you?"

"I wasn't at Maude's tonight", he said not favoring the direction in which he knew the conversation was going.

"Came to watch the game?"

"I'm not really into sports bars"

"Came to see a friend?"

"I don't really have any friends", he said wishing that he would change the subject. "Except for you, that is"

"Then why were you there?" Naruto asked obliviously wondering slightly why he was displaying such evasiveness.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. _

"Well, Fred had a little accident...", mid sentence, Naruto's smile began to melt into a concerned frown. "And the vet said he's going to need an operation"

"An operation? What happened?"

_If I fee him just an itty bitty white lie, will he believe me? Oh, God. Those eyes, their like orbs._

"Some guys broke and in after you dropped me off", he said looking down onto his plate not wanting to look into Naruto's intense blue that he was pretty sure were about to pop pout of his blonde head.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

Gaara gave him a look reading 'because you'd go nuts kind of like you are now'. Naruto looked away for a few moments and exhaled.

"Did they hurt you?"

"No", he said with such a weakness that it was more of a question as to whether Naruto believed him rather than an answer.

"Gaara..."

"They just roughed me up a little, I swear"

"That's it. I'm moving you out of there"

"No you're not"

"Yes I am", he said looking earnestly into Gaara's eyes. "I'll never live it down if something were to happen to you"

"Naruto, I'm fine, really", he pleaded. "See?" He got up and turned 360 degrees for his concerned counterpart to see him.

Naruto chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"You are by far the most stubborn person I've ever met"

"Because, I can do it on my own", he said trying to sound as confident as he could even though he was almost positive that Fred's veterinarian operation was not going to happen anytime soon with what he was making at both places and that the burglars still haunted him even in their absence at his apartment.

"How much is the operation going to cost?"

"...$1200"

"Gaara, that's pocket change for me. You know that"

"I don't need you to help me"

"Yes you do"

"No I don't"

"I have the money; literally, I can pull out my checkbook right now and write you a check for $1200"

"I'm pretty sure you can"

"Then why won't you let me help you? At least let me pay half of the bill"

"He's _my_ dog, therefore he's _my _responsibility"

"We can do this all night"

Gaara sighed. "Fine, I'll let you pay for the operation"

"Now see? Was that so hard?" He took a sip of his wine. "And I always thought I'd have to fight people _off_ of my bank account"

"Why do you even want to do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you want to help me?"

"..."

"..."

He sighed smiling and got up from his seat. "Come one it's late, I better get you home".

* * *

><p>A living room, 2:00 a.m.<p>

The lavish mansion was predominantly dark from all of the lights being turned off except for the kitchen. From the outside of the mansion, the large window could be seen in the distance by virtue of the reflection of the moon as the woman sitting in the bay window remained invisible.

The house had been built many years ago by a French architectural company that was hired by anyone who wanted a house to be envied by all.

The man who hired the company was a young man who'd only been married to his tall wife for 4 years and both of whom previously lived in a small loft on the west side of LA. He was a young business man who'd finally gotten enough investors to get his oil company off the ground.

Soon the company grew exponentially, faster and more vastly than any of his investors fathomed and soon he was one of the wealthiest men in LA. However, his first business venture, he promised, before expansion was to build his wife a house that they could grow old in.

And for that she always loved him. She was a young girl when she met Minato, a tall man with intense blue eyes, and soon she knew that she'd be an old woman still loving him, no matter how much turmoil he harbored in his icy heart and regardless of how much she feared that such a love would outlast even their marriage.

When their son was born, Kushina was always afraid the Minato was pushing him too hard. She was deathly afraid that he would follow the route taken by his father and ignore all of the meaningful relationships that life had to offer and when he would be let loose into the world he would fall in love with the wrong person.

Her fears were alleviated when he met two youths his age; one with black hair and one a strawberry blonde. Their parents had just moved in just a few minutes away and soon they were inseparable. She and her husband could see so much potential in him.

When Naruto's football career and weekly number of sex partners began to take off, Kushina began to worry again that he'd fall in with the wrong woman, still, herself, choosing to repress the possibility of her son being bisexual, much less homosexual.

Quickly learning of Charlotte's spoiled and privileged background, she became instantly apprehensive of the brunette. In the most literal sense, she was sick over their relationship as it became more and more serious, and soon her fears were realized when Naruto caught her with two of his teammates.

However, when Gaara came into the picture, she was overtly forced to deal with her feelings about her son's sexuality. It was as if he came from nowhere, as if he was a product of some cosmic disturbance somewhere off in a beautifully unseen place in the galaxy.

She'd never seen anyone like him, hair as red as fire, a form that was seemingly unthreatening, yet evidently hiding something deep within and eyes of a seductively minty green. She had to stop herself from staring as they sat in the sky box. She felt compelled to go over and speak to him; as if to see if he weren't a façade or a mirage.

Even as she got closer and he looked up at her his eye seemed even more captivating, if not hypnotizing.

His voice was a soft and low alto but his voice added to the ambiguity of his gender and age. She could instantly see why Naruto was so smitten with him. Kushina, being one of the few people he could be open with about his sexuality, heard about him constantly.

Even though Naruto's seeing him would potentially ruin his career, she finally felt genuine peace of mind knowing that her son was with someone who didn't give a damn about his money or his name, only was just as in love with Naruto as Naruto was in love with him.

Her private thoughts were interrupted as she heard someone coming towards the bedroom door, in a conversation.

"I haven't seen him since he left the stadium", Minato said into his phone as he took off his shoes and sat down on the bed across the room from his sobering wife sitting in the window. He looked over at her immensely calm form as Charlotte spoke into his ear on the other line.

"Well, call me when he makes it home", he said before hanging up and turning on the lamp next to his side of the bed. "What the hell are you doing sitting in the dark?"

"Just thinking", she said softly, not wanting to engage in another evening's spat but somehow still knowing that such a thing was on its way. "What's going on?"

"That was Charlotte", he said freeing his neck from his tie. "She said he hasn't come home yet and none of the guys know where he's at"

She smiled out the window. An astoundingly humorous, free and comical feeling came over her, causing her to laugh a little at the thought of the distraught woman's plight. "Figures".

He turned around to her again, anger radiating off of him. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know better than I do", she said satirically. "Naruto is just fine"

He clenched his fists tightly.

"Naruto didn't want to be in that room full of gold-diggers, or those over weight bald-headed sponsors and listen to his 'proud father' brag on him the whole god damned time, and neither did I, so he called me a cab and left"

"He left his wife there!"

"I mentioned gold-diggers, didn't I?"

"We're not doing this tonight, Kushina, where the fuck is he!"

"Oh don't play dumb Minato, you know where he is", she said to his reflection in the window out of which she still looked.

"You think he went to that fag's place, huh? Well he didn't, because as much as you don't want to believe it, MY SON IS NOT A FUCKING FAIRY!"

Kushina snapped her head towards him and got up from her sitting position.

"And as much as YOU don't want to believe it, your son is not at home with that sniveling whore because he doesn't love her, he loves Gaara!"

He ran a hand through his hair as he suddenly got quieter even though his words never lost sharpness. "Then why the FUCK DID HE ASK HE ASK HER TO MARRY HIM?"

"READ BETWEEN THE LINES, YOU IDIOT, they have son together, and unlike YOU, I know my son and he'd never leave her after he found that out!"

"And where the hell do you think he's going to get being a queer, huh? He'll have no career, no endorsements, no money, no LIFE! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!"

"You're forgetting one thing dear", she said sarcastically. ""HE'S MISERABLE!"

Minato could only scowl at her.

"And until you get you head out of your ass and realize that everything doesn't revolve around money, he's going to stay miserable, all to please you. IS THAT WHAT _YOU_ WANT!"

"..."

"I can't sit idly while my child sacrifices his happiness over money", she said as her voice began to shake. "And I _wish_ I could say the same about his father"

"..."

"I guess some things are just too costly to give to the people who love you", she said before storming off and grabbing a towelette to wipe the running mascara out of her eyes. Minato's anger could not be contained. It was as if the fierce ocean's tides were too much for those that chose to tread them.

He grabbed the vase next to him and slung it across the room in loud whoosh, sending it to its end in a pile of shards of glass bouncing off of the wall and landing on the floor.

* * *

><p>A car in the parking lot of an apartment complex, 3:00 a.m.<p>

Naruto turned off the engine and looked over at his passenger and the latter looked back at him. It was a funny thing how everyday seemed newer than the day before and each moment fresher than the last when true love presided.

"I had fun tonight"

"I would think so, you and the Tucci's laughed at me the whole time"

"We were just kidding"

"Didn't sound like it"

Gaara laughed.

"Gaara?"

"Hm?"

"Earlier when you said you didn't want me to risk my career over you, why did you look so sad?"

"Well I guess I always feel a little guilty",

"You know I was kidding about that, right?"

"I know, it's just that you've worked so hard to get where you are and I'd feel awful if you lost it all over me"

"..."

"No one's ever really cared for me that much, except for my mother", he said making them both chuckle.

"Gaara, listen to me...Are you listening?"

"Yes, I'm listening"

"All the fans, money, fame, none of that matters when I'm with you. I can exhale with you, with you I'm not a quarterback; I'm just Naruto"

Gaara smiled to himself as he could feel an orchestra of nature inside of himself playing a love song to his soul.

"If only you knew how much I think about you when you're not by my side...", he said leaning in closer. "Damn, I know I say this a lot but I'm crazy about you"

The free butterflies in Gaara's stomach sent his heart to the skies as his palms began to sweat. "Do you really mean that?"

Naruto gave his signature heart liquefying smile and put one arm behind Gaara's seat and one on his thigh. The foam at the base of the sea and the ocean itself wrapped around each other as the older man kissed the younger.

Gaara's skin seemed to melt under Naruto's touch as his mouth was invaded in the sweetest way possible. The red head ran his hand down Naruto's rock hard chest before the blonde haired man pulled him over onto his lap in the driver's seat, the perpetual kiss growing in passion with each passing moment.

Naruto let his hands roam down along Gaara's back, hips, ass, and thighs. The red head could feel something hardening beneath him as Naruto's hands on his skin through his jeans seemed to make everlasting imprints.

Gaara moaned softly when he felt the blonde haired man's hands go into the back of his pants; he gasped when the stronger of the two lifted his leg over his shoulder and pressed him firmly against the steering wheel making the horn sound off loudly.

Naruto bit into his neck making Gaara scream out in a bittersweet reaction to something that he'd fantasized about since its first occurrence.

"Wait"

"What's wrong?"

"We can't do this"

"Why the hell not?"

"Don't you have to get home?"

"It's 3 in the fucking morning, I think it's a bit late to make it home in time for supper", he said sarcastically.

"I have to get upstairs, Fred probably needs food", Gaara said apologetically placing his hands on Naruto's broad chest.

Naruto smirked. "I'll let you off this time", he said slyly making Gaara laugh before he climbed off his lap and exited the vehicle.

As he walked up and saw Naruto waiting until he made it in safely, those damned butterflies still refused to calm the fuck down.

* * *

><p>A living room, a chair beneath a window lit only by the moon yet covered in the darkness of the house<p>

Charlotte sat in the chair next to the large seamless glass window under the moonlight with a glass of wine in her hand.

She looked up at the clock on the wall.

3:15 a.m.

She took a sip and looked towards the foyer.

She knew where Naruto was.

She knew who he was with.

She knew from the time that the 12:00 hour struck that he was not going to be home for a while. She got up from her seat and went upstairs to her bedroom and on her way she passed the room of her sleeping child.

Charlotte chuckled at the irony of the way he looked just like Naruto when he slept.

She made it to her bedroom and went into the bathroom.

She knew that such a task was going to have to be done in time, she hated getting the law involved with doing her biddings, it was such an underhanded task, using the justice system to get whatever victory that she wished to attain.

"You won't take warning I see", she said taking out a photo of a red headed youth.

He smiled brightly and yet somehow the luminance of his smile could not overcome the darkness that gloomed over him in a form or fashion that he was not used to, or would even foresee to become reality in a life that was once simple but now made complex by the fierceness of a scorned woman.

"I can't kill you", she said with a hand on top of a case file. "That much is true"

She looked at her reflection as she took another sip of her wine. She flipped through the file with a note card clipped on top of the manila folder that read:

_Case # 12545: Murder of 38 year old. Yondaime Kazekage_

"But I sure as hell can make you wish you never lived"


	8. game

_Prior_

_As if from a different world, a feeling came over Naruto as he put his phone down after a brief and all the while strikingly fantasy inducing conversation with a waiter he'd just met working in a pub._

_The knowledge of the power of that feeling had escaped him over time, despite however terse it was. Many of his counterparts knew very few remnants of the feeling._

_However, the value of love and romance was far more in the eyes of Naruto, as there was something about the two that made him feel just a bit better about life itself, a truth that he made a point to keep hidden from his overtly masculine counterparts._

_Like a dove landing from its dazzling dance the sky, Gaara's natural beauty and unintentional way of sending his soul to the skies kept him up pacing throughout the night. 1,000,001 thoughts were flurrying around in his blonde head all at once, his mind not knowing quite how to prioritize._

_He'd just invited a near-to-complete stranger to sit in a box seat next to his parents at a football game, something that could've easily cost him more than he would've preferred. Yet in the most literal sense, he could tell that in the coming days, weeks or perhaps even months that his fame would once again take the back seat behind his heart._

_He couldn't even imagine the dirty looks that the unsuspecting guest would receive from his father and his pompously homophobic associates who in fact had many faults of a greater kind than that of a 'lifestyle' that they deemed uncouth and scandalous.. _

_His mother was the least of his worries, for she was the more liberal of the two. Her biggest fault would be to stare him down until he was forced to feel uncomfortable. Still, he somehow couldn't find in himself the drive to care about the thoughts of others in the matter and couldn't help but to think of it as a soon-to-be recurring pattern._

_The way that Gaara would bat his eyelashes in the short time he'd seen it sent tingles through his body as he sat across the sofa. _

_There was something about Gaara that made him feel naked; stripped of everything he'd worked for and everything people had given to him because of such. A new relationship dynamic was what he felt was coming his way and wasn't used to it. _

_The coming together of two for the purposes of a casual fuck or to be more; more being a relationship of sharing profit, making public appearances etc. However, such things seemed all but simple unimportant games compared what he knew what was to come._

_He went into the master bedroom of his quiet loft and got undressed. _

_It was impossible to get over the mesmerizing way he walked, each leg singing to the hips while the hips sang back. Blank were the spots in his mind that were reserved for thinking about his reputation first, something was amiss, he thought._

_He'd thought of men in a sexual way just as he did with women but in no way did he look for the same things in either of the two._

_In any case, he'd been intimate with both and both had the capacity to mean absolutely nothing. But this time, before he was sure that his hands would ever even make contact with Gaara's skin, it was impossible for their encounter to lack value. Its value was there to stay, not to leave. Grow, but never fade away._

_In the dark as he lay across his sheets, he wondered about Gaara heavily. He wondered about his life, his dreams, his aspirations, his fears, what turned him on, what he thought about in his private thoughts, what he might be afraid to let the world know of._

_Naruto's thirst for knowledge of the strange red head from Maude's nearly caused him to call him back to talk more, but apprehensiveness behind seeming desperate held him back._

_He turned over to look at the abstract analog clock next to the bed; 11:04 pm._

_He finally got used tot the idea that he wouldn't be going to sleep in a few hours, it hadn't occurred to him, the four letter word, that was sure to come down the road in a period of time that he would never have imagined, not with a preconceived notion about love like the one he had._

_He turned back to the window._

_His fervent wondering, about something that was growing beautifully past the stage of being a simple love interest, slowly mellowed as the hours passed and his body's natural request for rest was granted_

* * *

><p>9:30<p>

The sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky as Naruto got out of bed to notice that his wife was not in the bed with him. He could hear the wind periodically pressing against the bedroom window as if trying to communicate a rhythmic message of untold importance.

The room was brighter than normal in reaction to the sun's illumination that morning of brinkmanship. The feeling of close proximity and anticipation began to wear down Naruto's patience as the hours belonging to the days passed by.

Fighting his primary urge to stay in bed for as long as circumstance would permit, he slowly got up and looked over at the clock that was blocked by a watch case. A faint tweeting could be hard from outside, causing Naruto to turn his attention to the window. He gave a sore smile.

A red robin perched itself onto the rain gutter and cleaned its vibrant feathers with its beak. It was beginning to be an annoying but reflection-inducing song, time away from Gaara; a song whose lyrical melodies played over and over again yet something new was revealed each time heard.

The silk felt odd against his bare chest despite his many mornings waking up underneath the luxurious fabric.

He remembered a saying that his mother used to repeat to him about denial.

_Free yourself from her web before she comes back hungry_.

He walked out of the room and into the hallway that led down to the staircase, all the while an interminable feud in his mind ensued over what was to happen next.

As he passed Naruto Jr.'s room he noticed that it was unusually neat as opposed to its normal frenzied and littered state. Other than his tidy room was there the absence of his elated and boisterous chatter that usually rang through every room in the house in the morning time.

The memories of the night before refused to leave him but he harbored little protest as he made it to the kitchen to see his wife in an apron facing the stove. He could smell English muffins in the oven, there was a heating crepe maker next to her and eggs were frying on the stove in front of her.

He'd never seen her remotely touch anything that resembled a stove before and such a sight was, to say the very least, bewildering. She chuckled softly before turning around to him.

"Didn't think I could cook, did you?"

Naruto smiled in disbelief. "To be honest..."

"Go on, I'll bring your food into the dining room"

She took a few moments to prepare his plate.

He marveled at her seemingly instantaneous transformation into this unknown woman bustling around the kitchen in an almost dizzying aura of domesticity. Two came to the battle field in his mind as she neared him with a smile on her face.

She came back to the table without her red apron and placed the nostalgic plate of food in front of him before sitting on his lap. He looked into her eyes for a brief moment and a feeling of life in his loins began to arise. He would never admit it but he loved those moments of the past.

"So, Jr.'s with my mother and you're free today", she traced his pectorals with her delicate finger. "And I was thinking, maybe today can be just us two"

Naruto pulled her closer and captured her in a kiss that signified something of a different meaning than before. It signified in her a world of leisure and the same in him. Only in him an awfully muddled feeling as well.

"Sounds good to me"

* * *

><p>In the instance of a child's feelings on the line, one would expect a mother's position to be that of a hawk circling around her nest, waiting, daring a predator to make an attempt for the kill. However, this is subject to questioning when circumstances are under certain extremities; fame and infidelity being just two of them.<p>

If it is true what they say...

_A mother's love is an unrivaled force of nature._

Then, in most cases than one would inquire, what makes a mother sit idly while her son becomes further entangled in a mire of lies and a web composed of the sweet stickiness of lust strong enough to arouse pain, a trap enclosed by frustratingly stubborn walls?

What makes her helpless while her most prized accomplishment is lured unwillingly into a dangerously enticing dream?

Could it be that this man, who, in her heart is her worst enemy, can provide her son an almost ecstatic assuage from his life whose normalcy is colored by the dull and gray hues of stagnancy, discrimination and, quite a short while ago, by the marginalization of their miniscule community.

Could it be that she sheltered him from that one thing that holds the power to make him dream of it all through the night, that thing that made his toes curl, that thing that he could feel the next day, the thing that made him never want to forget it, the thing that made him fall not only in love but fall for romance itself...

Or perhaps it might be those icy blue eyes that took Gaara into a newer, broader, more beautiful place than he was used to, the way he looked at Gaara that made his knees buckle and made his skin tighten, made his stomach fall a thousand feet, made his bottom lip quiver, made his palms perspire.

Could it be that it was his touch, perchance, that fueled the fire under the furnace that was the belief that he was loved by a man that, by any sensible individual's standards, wouldn't have cast him the slightest glance, even if it meant the sparing of his life.

There had been something foul in the air the very moment that Gaara phoned Karura on the night that he decided to call Naruto. It was a funny smell. Surely it was not one detectable by just anyone, but discernable by only those who genuinely had the interest of another in mind.

Could she express her disdain for him stepping onto a plane on which many before him had been annihilated? It was a terribly muddling decision to make without revealing her state of indecisiveness.

The negative side of the situation was more than obvious, but the opposite was what made the decision am exceptional quandary.

His childhood, teenage years, and potential young adulthood could be likened to two adjacent mirrors, both mimicking the image in the eye of the other an infinite amount of times; never changing, each one never deviating from the image before it.

Gaara's voice on the phone reminded her of the colorful and joyful singing of a contralto, singing their heart out, the words of another language translating into all ears, language barriers falling like walls lacking support.

Karura was never a fan of her son working at a 'tawdry whore-house', as she crudely coined the establishment. It was only a matter of time, however, until someone walked in and weaved past Gaara's faulty examination of a stand-up guy simply looking for a companion.

She came to realize that she had herself to blame for that.

So long as a man's character rose above that of the man from which he came, the question of love or perhaps falling in love appeared in its most natural form.

But now, her most deeply rooted worries had manifested themselves in the dangerously beautiful form of a woman who was now a wife. She never expected to have to deal with such a situation, a situation on which she wished that she could blame on Naruto but the totem was far too large.

Sending him to LA wasn't the issue; there were men like Naruto all over the world. Letting him work at Maude's wasn't the cause.

It was that goddamned charm. It was that charm that had slain many; it was almost common knowledge that Gaara didn't stand a chance.

And it posed another question; it was highly unlikely that Gaara would find another that he would become as passionate for. Did she want him to squander the little means that he did posses to go after a married man? Karura was more than familiar with women like Charlotte, and there was one thing about them that was unique.

There was no one, no amount of money not worth taking, no life too precious, no reputation too prestigious, no heart too fragile, no plan too convoluted, not a single man too hard to manipulate, no woman strong enough to stop her from getting what she wanted.

* * *

><p>Greeted by the most infinitesimal of premonitions of a sour occurrence, Gaara walked down the steps of leading to the first level, of two, of his apartment complex. He neglected to realize, until he reached the bottom, that his descent was unusually stable as opposed to many instances where he nearly lost his footing.<p>

He looked back to see the white and blemish-free staircase that seemed to smile a smile of blissful passage back at him.

He was surprised that anyone that lived there even bothered to complain about the decrepit structure, much more by the fact that the bumbling and incompetent landlords bothered to do anything that remotely resembled their 'agreed upon' job description.

In a twisted way he couldn't blame them for the way they were letting the apartments fall to pieces. For how can one expect another to do a job if he or she sees nothing to signify a job needing to be done in the first place? It was a principle followed by the overseers of the living space that Gaara hated for its justification of their laziness but respected because of its honesty.

Possibly it was because of the fear of having every expletive spat at you, which was more than likely to occur.

Many of the residents belonged to the young and ever-passing demographic and simply needed a place to stay for a little while. The other small percentage were, drug addicts, a few elderly residents there for, in theory, for the same reason as the latter and one or two students, Gaara being one of them.

After looking over his options before leaving Bienville for college, he made the choice of finding his own place as opposed to living with another person in a dorm room. The apartments at which he stayed were much cheaper; rent and cost of living included.

It hadn't made itself known to him just how crazy things were in love and romance. The way he lived and the way Naruto really didn't mean a damn thing, despite how those in his life felt. Romance is the sword and love is the shield. Both fight against the fire breathing beast that resides in the heart of social class.

After the still fresh ordeal he'd allowed leaving Fred with Mrs. Patterson, until he returned at an undetermined hour, to become habitual. She'd grown fond of the scruffy companion on account of her four children's absence in her life and in the most general sense, a life filled with her best friend, loneliness.

This being something that Gaara resented, he was more than obliged to lend his companion to her while he spent the majority of his day in downtown LA.

He walked over to the rusty block, urbanely stylized with rusty locks and itself covered with the erosion-inspired look of rust. It was the receptor of those wretched envelopes that came every month and that signified less money and more bills, more reminders of his economic woes and it contained occasionally whatever money his mother could spare to send him from Atlanta.

There was something about his mother that seemed to make everything just a little more bearable.

He could hear the audible gaseous excretion of the city transportation and stuffed the many envelopes into his bag before dashing off across the street to the bus stop before he had another repeat of a few months before. He wished that day never happened even though he'd never admit that he did.

That day he missed the bus and was forced to walk into the city, making it there nearly forty-five minutes late, sitting in his second class drenched in sweat.

Shaking off the bitter recollection with an unparalleled vigor, he boarded the musty smelling mass transit vehicle and took his seat next to a man who looked to be in his early seventies. He readjusted his cane after every bump in the road. He hummed a joyful tune that seemed to couple beautifully with the sunlight the shined through the windows.

His soft and barely audible joy made the rank smell seem to diminish.

His scent was enriched with the smell of cologne and his snow white hair was perfectly slicked back and parted on the side. He wore a tuxedo and shiny black shoes. He reminded Gaara of a character on the vaudeville circuit in the 1950s.

After a few moments of silence passed, the older man turned to him with an inwardly inquisitive expression. "You look awfully familiar. I've seen you somewhere, I know it for sure"

"I'm sorry but I think you have me confused with someone else", Gaara said trying with everything not to be rude to an elderly person, at the same time being haunted by that same fear of looking familiar to anyone who he came in contact with.

"You got a name kid?" He persisted.

"Gaara", he replied sounding more unsure than sure.

"Gaara, eh? Never heard a name like that", he complimented holding out his hand. "Exotic"

"I've been told"

"Name's Harold", he said politely yet assertively. Gaara was fascinated by old-fashioned names such as the one held by this new and delightful man. His eyes told a story that perhaps not even his lips could do justice.

"You look pretty young", he said making Gaara stomach tinge slightly. He wished he didn't know where this was going. "Let me guess, 18, 19, 20-ish?"

"Look sir I'm not looking for-"

"Oh, please, forgive me! I didn't mean to be invasive, just an old man making conversation", he said turning away for about a minute or two that both of them secretly wished would pass faster than they were.

The dynamics that occur between two people, and the brevity of their conversation is only surpassed by their likeness to the relationship of two who known each other for a lifetime.

Gaara began to feel guilty for snapping at him as thoughts of Mrs. Patterson came into his mind.

"I'm nineteen"

The older man turned to him with a surprised look. "Hm?"

"You wanted to know how old I was. I'm 19", he said with a small smile. "Sorry for snapping at you like that. Can't be too safe, you know?"

"Fair enough, I guess", he said readjusting his cane as they left a red light that turned green. "Where are you headed?"

"Class, I'm a student at the university down the street", he said with a small tint of repression. "Haven't been for a very long time"

"Isn't that a coincidence though?" He asked more to himself than to Gaara.

"What?"

"I had a son, a tall man just like his dad. He was a real master with the ladies when he was your age", he sighed as his humor melted into solemnity. "Haven't seen him since he left for business school"

Gaara expected his heart to sink, but was only left waiting as s small tinge of familiarity danced lightly around his mind.

"Yeah...19 years old...", he looked away with wistfulness and a hint of dejection for a short moments

"That's awful"

"All that I've been able to find out about him is that he's gotten married since I've seen him", his sinking countenance began to fall further. "I could have a grandchild out there, and he...or she doesn't even know that their grandfather exists"

The bus hissed to a stop a few yards away from the intersection leading to the university. As Gaara began to get up from the hard seat Harold looked up at him as if his greatest wish at that moment was for Gaara to stay and listen to more of his lamenting anecdote.

"Is this your stop?"

"Yeah", he said almost apologetically. "I hope everything works out for you and your son"

"Thank you", the man nodded slightly as his short-term confidant exited the bus.

The California sun rays greeted Gaara's skin in a different way than it did when he exited his apartment just a short while ago. It felt like the rays coming down from the blinding abyss were trying to communicate a most telling truth and the sensitivity of his eyes and skin acted as his purposeful ignorance.

As he walked up the steps of the main campus leading to the cosmetology department he saw those same wretched girls who made his entire body feel like a deadly microorganism being examined down to every cell in order to find some sort of cure to squelch a health crisis of human kind.

He'd worn short shorts and tight shirts on more than a few occasions and soon realized that expecting these people to have the capacity to get used to it was useless.

"_Look what just walked out of the tranny bar"_

"_No shame in selling a little ass on the side"_

"_Poor thing probably needs the money"_

"_We all do" _

Two boys walked past Gaara talking about the football game last week and soon Gaara was almost seamlessly reminded of those strong arms that acted as a shield sometimes, maybe even all of the time, maybe they were a shield forever.

What ever longevity they held, they sent slanderous words to the dust never to rise again.

As he walked past cosmetology dean's office, he suddenly found his named being called from the inside by one of the receptionists. Walking in he expected to be confronted because of some financial issue that needed to be handled and most likely couldn't be, but soon he only wished that were so.

A man in a brown suit sat in one of the wooden and mesh material chairs before rising to his feet when Gaara walked in with a gut falling at about a hundred miles and hour.

"Gaara...Sebaku?" He looked down at the name on the manila envelope to make sure he pronounced it correctly.

"Yes". Gaara looked from the taller man to the receptionist who seemed not to care much about what was going on.

He handed Gaara the envelope and watched him open it. "Mr. Sebaku you've been summoned by the court of Louisiana to testify on behalf of Karura Sebaku in approximately 90 days".

Suddenly the conversation gained the once highly prized attention of the desk clerk who began to listen closely from behind the counter. Gaara seemed surprised until he looked at the subject of the trial after which his face deadpanned.

"It would behoove you to contact the court's main office before the allotted time expires to confirm your participation in the hearing", he said with a firm half-smile before making his exit. "Thank you for your time"

Gaara looked after than tall man as he walked out as if he'd left after dumping a weight too heavy upon him. After recovering from his shocked stupor brought on by the past's annoying tendency to show up in the future he hurriedly stuffed the files back into the envelope and dashed off to class.

* * *

><p>A soft mezzo-soprano sang over subtle orchestral instrumentation in the quiet restaurant that, although lightly, was sprinkled with the small words of conversation at various tables. The walls were decorated with Romanesque portrayals of the gods and goddesses along with the nymphs and peasants at their feet.<p>

It was strangely reminiscent to Naruto as Charlotte looked into his eyes searching for some reason the distraction that was prevalent. The fiery hair of Aphrodite seemed to drown him further into his self-made pool of passion induced wonder.

"Something on your mind?"

He snapped out of his quandary to see his wife staring blankly at him.

"Oh...no, I just zoned out for a moment there"

"You've been zoning out a lot today..."

"It's nothing, really"

"Naruto, honestly, you can tell me..."

Naruto placed his hand on hers from across the white-clothed table as a gesture of frustration and a gesture of appeasement. "I promise, I'm fine"

Charlotte agreed to back off, hoping that her defense sounded strong enough to pass for genuine. For, deep inside her entangled passionate desires, she knew more than he did, or wanted to admit, what was constantly stealing his conscious mind's attention from her.

It was an oddity yet to be explained how the beautiful blue water could seem so perfect and yet hide such terrifying and vicious monsters beneath its deep waves and soft tides.

The opera singer sang in a higher key and the orchestra diligently followed.

He did a double take at the table across the floor, for he could have sworn he saw a familiar red-headed youth's eyes twinkling at him from afar. Charlotte gave him a strange glance before she could begin her sentence. He blinked a few times to realize that it was not so.

"What were you saying, babe?"

She looked at him strangely, a deep anger burning inside of her. "I was going to say that I'm glad I can spend sometime with you before you leave"

"Leave?" He was slightly ashamed because of his lingering distortion from a few moments earlier.

"Remember you said you won't be back in LA for a few weeks", she said in a most feminine voice.

"Oh...yeah", he said in voice that nearly shouted to his wife that he was still uneasy. "I couldn't leave without spending some time with my lady", he said making Charlotte laugh.

"When did I become your 'lady', didn't they stop saying that when our parents were growing up", she chuckled at his humor while sipping her wine.

His slowly alleviating fear returned when he could have sworn he saw the most authentic painting of a starkly naked Gaara on the wall. He nearly choked on his wine drawing a few fickle eyes that quickly turned away.

"Naruto are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine", he said clearing his throat in a quieter tone. "Wine went down the wrong way"

He turned back to painting on the wall to see that it was just a painting of Juno, as it had been when it was painted, dried, framed, auctioned, sold for $3,000 and mantled on the wall of the restaurant in order for it to capture the grandeur of the entire setting.

Yet, nothing could convince him of the alternate's surrealism.

He turned away from the painting on the wall to see the same fear-inducing youth standing next to him asking him repeatedly what he would like for his main course. He stared at the waiter blankly until the dark haired man turned to his wife, who seemed at the moment, the more sane of the two.

"Naruto cut it out!" She smiled up at the waiter as if to play of her husband's antics as a joke or act of silliness that was apart of his personality that she'd grown to know and love.

As the skinny waiter recommend options for his wife, it became difficult to make much movement with his deep blue eyes without coming across a façade in the moderately sized restaurant of someone he'd more than wished to be with at that point but wouldn't dare to say it with a tongue defiant against the social charade which he currently played.

Where was he? Was it him who stood across the room cooing at him with his slender body? Or was it him whose hands could be subliminally felt running down his shirt. A soft heat encircled his groin causing him to abruptly excuse himself to the restroom.

Embarrassed, Charlotte took another sip of her wine, looking at the reddish painting across from her as the waiter left. She could think of few words to describe how much she'd come to loath that wretched color in the past few months.

In the sliver and scented allows of the men's restroom Naruto ran water over his face repeatedly, as if to rinse the arousing memories out of his mind if only for the evening. He'd never had to deal with such an addiction, only he was more afraid than anything to call it by its name.

An addiction by no means its entirety, but it semblance in the situation was undeniable in the most critical sense. Like a fix, he needed to see Gaara in order to stay sane but couldn't help but fear that if such a thing were to happen his love and fondness for him would grow a deepen rather than fizzle out, much to the dismay of those around him

The secret affairs of men have always been somehow forgivable until honesty shows its face and the promises made to the emotionally frail actually are kept.

* * *

><p><em>Past the blinding sunshine being blocked out by the ignorance of shade, past the green pastures of luxuriousness untold, past the lap of the earth, blissfully concealing the deadly blue waters, the shadow of it all conceals something more holy; the plight of the rightfully rain smitten roses and their struggle for survival.<em>

_Beyond practicality and constitutionality, passionate courage and resistance doubly take the utmost seat over the fast and sharp wiles of any awful thing that should come between the two whether it be real or residing only in the mind clouded by frustrating frailties like love._

"_Don't pity me", in a soft yet striking tone. "I don't need your pity"_

"_Why must you mistake my love for pity? I worry because I love you"_

"_Forgive me", in a suddenly softer voice. "I've never felt a love like this; it feels like a new place to me, to my soul, to my heart"_

"_When we meet again, I'll spend forever finding a way to make you mine"_

"_What if you become somebody and I become nobody?"_

"_Still, I'll spend forever..."_

"_Forever is a terribly long time"_

"_For you it is but the smallest portion of all the things I feel for you"_

"They've reopened the case"

"_I knew. I didn't bother to call because I knew you would find out around the time I did"_

"They couldn't possibly have found any new evidence"

"_My lawyer says an anonymous party brought in something to the Bienville County sheriff's office about a few days ago "_

"What could it be? Surely nothing incriminating"

"_He says it won't be as easy this time. I feared that. I have for a long time"_

"Who could have possibly done this?"

"_I haven't a clue. The few family members who weren't over seas during the first trial are overseas now"_

"..."

_A heightening sob could be heard from the other line. "I hope...I hope..."_

"Hope what?"

"_I hope you can one day forgive me, Gaara, because Heaven knows I didn't mean to do it"_

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this! You were looking out for me! For us! Remember? You saved our lives!"

"_Then why won't he let me sleep at night!"_

"..."

"_Every night it takes me hours just to fall asleep because I can still myself pulling the trigger...he won't leave me alone"_

"Mama listen to me! You heard him, we all heard him say that if you didn't kill him, he'd kill me"

"_I know", Karura wiped her careworn face of that salty displacement that had become her friend and nemesis in the past several years. "I know"_

"You saved my life, and I'll die before I let you forget that, do you hear me?"

"_Yeah", she said as the earth became the beauty and the violets' deep petals were the givers of life._

"Whoever's doing this can't break us, no one can"

"_Then why does it feel so real now?"_

_I have to be happy _

_Please find it in your precious heart to allow him to love you_

_For the bliss that you two create melts away the sorrows like the everpresent spring after the hardening winter_

_I'm sure we can be so much more_

_We have to be happy..._

* * *

><p>An assisted living community<p>

In the event of the growing amount of children abandoning their mothers and fathers, there was an apartment complex that many referred to as the Drop Off. Its blunt and cold name was given to it because of the grim and depressed faces of some of its residents.

It was never deemed an official assisted living community, however. Many people in their younger years lived there to enjoy the quietness during the night and much of the day, while much of the elderly population held jobs for lack of revenue or pride that still shined faintly yet resiliently inside of them.

It was an absolute shame to Marcia Murchison, the mid 40s daughter of one of the residents, Gabriel Murchison.

Every day on the sharp corner of the 7:00 hour that graced the warm and damp California evening, she stopped by the complex of moderately sized but kept apartments to sit with her father for a little while, and while there tried to aid her father in reconciling his erratic and immensely eccentric partner.

With her she brought her thirteen year old son, a tall boy with her hair color and the eyes of his estranged and distant father. It was a trait of his that she loved and hated.

Marcia had come to know the meaning of her father's sexuality around the time where she discovered her own. This was a happening that Gabriel always secretly regretted and it partially caused him to wish that he'd kept the 'fact' under a thicker blanket of secrecy.

However, she protested his feelings more and more as she got older and began to compile a more humanistic concept to homosexuality.

She was a short and full woman with jet black hair just like her father. Her eyes were so dark that a simple gaze at her reflection incited the recollection of her teenage years when she and most of her family were under the delusion that they were black.

Her father had an uncannily annoying habit of allowing his apprehensiveness, caused by the fear of the reactions of others, to influence his better judgment; especially when in the case of weighted things that were likely to arouse anger, necessary or not.

This mental deficiency became problematic when Marcia began to come into knowledge of the denotation of marriage and inquired about the whereabouts of her mother. Only, this apprehensiveness was of a different kind, as it was borne from a fear that she would not understand and misinterpret its meaning.

"Sweetheart, you mother died when you were born."

For years she thought that she was a monstrous killer, deserving to be locked away for the murder of her dear mother and never seen by the innocent and unsuspecting population of Jasper, Texas ever again. It was this that opened the door to the releasing of many of Gabriel's fears.

Fear of losing her, fear of being attacked, fear of being looked down on by the other parents with children attending the tiny and conservative school system, fear of failing as a single father, fear of his daughter turning out like him and being forced to live in the ever-rotating eye of persecution in the country all plagued him as he watched his daughter grow and mature under his wings.

Gabriel had always had a fire for education people, but often his demure and gentle nature often prevented him from doing so in a way that would convince anyone to listen to the treasures in him that he shamefully knew that the world needed to hear. He earned an associates degree in primary education at the age of 21.

Unfortunately, by virtue of a salacious town gossip, words and rumors, although true, Gabriel's sexuality spread like an infectious disease. Before long, doing common things around town had been transformed into drudgery, dreadful and frustrating.

He remembered the fear on people's faces. He remembered how mother's would clutch their children when he walked by. Once he discovered that someone in the town was working on a suit to take his own child away, something had to be done.

In the heat of the night he stuffed all of their things into a few suitcases, drove nearly 50 miles, boarded a train, and went to stay with a wealthy friend that he's kept in touch with from high school.

The morning sun began to peak through the darkness as his spatial relation to the wretched county blossomed into a degree of separation vast enough to stop his tears from falling.

Thinking back on it in the cinnamon fragranced apartment, he chuckled to himself at the bond that was shared by him and his daughter. It was a flower of a common color but roots of a stronger kind. Marcia watched her father smile from across the wooden/glass coffee table in front of the TV.

"What's so funny?"

"Just thinking about the night we left Jasper and you thought it was because I didn't like the climate"

She laughed as well, her voice a full alto. "My goodness I was so naïve"

"Naivety doesn't exist for someone as young as you were", he said wistfully, curling up into a tighter position on the warm sofa. "You were just listening to me, I guess"

"That night was so crazy..."

"I remember it like it was yesterday"

"They all but chased us away on the way to the train station"

"I guess a little fairy dust is too much for a small town like that to handle", he joked making his daughter laugh out loud. Their laughter over such a burlesque subject failed to wake her sleeping son sitting in the chair that was juxtaposed between the doorway and the sofa and love seat.

As the thirteen year old Gregory Murchison slept soundly the door could be heard being unlocked. It amazed Marcia how every time, without fail or delay, when Harold came home, her father's countenance sank into his soul and then arose from itself like the phoenix rises from its ashes.

It was an odd occurrence, like a short retelling of the many things that they'd been together.

The tall lanky man walked though the door with a bag over his shoulder and defeated facial expression before turning around. Gabriel smiled as his smile began to show as he walked over to the sofa.

He winked at Marcia before turning to the one he most cherished. "Anything interesting happen today?"

"Nothing exciting happens around here unless we're naked", he said smirking upwards. Marcia humorously turned up her nose at her father's suggestive tone of the as the two lovers engaged in a long and taffy-like embrace of the lips.

The voluptuous woman gently shook her son until his eyes opened to look up at her.

"What time is it?"

"Get your things, it's late"

He left into the kitchen.

"Well Harold, he's all yours"

"Don't drive too fast on your way back", he said holding her father in his arms.

"You tell me that every time you see me"

"And yet you still ask me to pay for your speeding tickets..." Gregory snickered at their routine banter from behind his mother.

"_Goodnight_ you old kook", she said smiling as they made their exit.

As the door closed behind them Gabriel turned to his partner. They looked into each other for a moment, the reflection in their eyes communicating in some divine language of love and romance that only blossomed with the flower that was time.

"Any luck?"

"No"

Gabriel rested his head on Harold's chest as he loosened his tie. "I'm sorry baby"

"But I have this feeling in my gut that's been telling me all day long that I'm getting closer"

"When did it start? Maybe that'll lead you in the right direction"

"It started on the bus this morning when I struck up a conversation with a young student..."

"Hm..."

"Its like when I started talking to him, it was as if my family was so close that I could feel them"

* * *

><p>Gaara sat on the plush red seat in the break room when his phone buzzed in his bag on the floor next to him. He looked at the name on the screen and his palms began to perspire a bit causing him to wipe his hands on the towel on the extended boudoir. He swore he couldn't let it show in voice.<p>

In games like these, he learned from the players, the weak are crushed and the pitiful receive no pity but contempt instead.

Through of the sins of class and money, in an almost irreverent way, those calls seemed to be a sort of a cleaning agent. It was a cleanser as cleansing as undressing after a long day, as cleaning as taking a shower in order to wash away the stains and smears accumulated throughout the 24 hour period of shuffling around a pub wearing close to nothing.

"Naruto..."

"_You say it like you didn't expect me to call"_

"I didn't", he answered honestly.

"_Is it a bad time?"_

"No...just haven't heard from you in a while", he said thinking of a way to retract his initial muddled tone. "I didn't mean to sound like that"

"_Don't be, I should've called sooner...I guess I've just had a crazy week"_

Gaara scoffed in agreement. "Tell me about it. There's this strange man who's been standing outside everyday when I leave"

"_Do you need me to pick you up?"_

"No, Naruto, I don't need you to pick me up", he said in a dryly patronizing tone.

"_Why'd you have to say it like that?"_

"Because I don't need you to protect me all the time. I can defend myself just fine"

_A long pause was the predecessor of Naruto's boisterous laughter on the other end. _

"What the fuck is so funny?"

"_I have to be honest, that Paul-guy knocked you down pretty easily"_

"1. I wasn't ready and 2. His fist was the size of a melon!"

"_Gaara just let me pick you up", he said dismissing his poor rebuttal._

"I should've never told you anything"

"_I'll just take that as a yes"_

"Don't bother"

"_Gaara I'm coming and that's it"_

"Well I'm not getting in the car"

"_Haven't we been through this already?"_

"...Fine! I'll be in the front", he said before slamming the phone down on the boudoir's surface. He sometimes found it hard to find the words to describe the way he felt right after hanging up. It left him so disoriented sometimes that he forgot all of the many ugly factions that made up the canvas of his circumstances.

Stuffing a few text books into his bag, his mind slowly melted into the realization of all that lay beneath the surface of Naruto's deep voice. As much as he wanted to relieve himself of the existence of Charlotte and their child in Naruto's life, he couldn't without being in a poor standing with his conscience.

Gaara wondered, from time to time, behind the back of his better judgment, what is was like when he made love to her, what she made him feel in the darkness of their room, what monumental difference between him and her that made Naruto's decision impossible to make. It was a filthy and loathsome practice, but it persisted annoyingly in his private thoughts.

Sitting in a booth near the entrance, he became alarmed at a time far too late at the realization that he was out considerably late with a married man who recently wedded a woman that he'd grown to fear in a shameful and yet hateful way. Her fierce eyes that felt like a dagger into him when she discovered him at her wedding failed to leave his shallow collection of notions of her.

Gaara looked outside and saw the same tall man outside sitting over on a bench across the street. His face seemed eerily pointed in Gaara's direction. However, he couldn't help but to receive something non-threatening from him, but permitted himself not to take a chance and to instead wait for Naruto inside.

A pair of blue-ish lights gradually illuminated the streets making Gaara's palms sweat again. Sakura warned him that he'd already taken enough risks by being seen in public with him and that the only reason that a scandal didn't arise was indebted to the failure of the paparazzi to produce a convincing shot.

Walking out the door he was violently startled when Naruto revved the engine loudly. His sweaty palms compromised his grip on the handle on the door which opened to see a smirking man in the driver's seat with one hand on the wheel and the other draped casually behind the passenger seat.

"Did I scare you?"

"Yes, bastard, you did", Gaara got in, throwing his bag down in frustration over his display of fear and let the door come down.

"Somebody's cranky"

"You'd be cranky too if you had a day like mine"

"Care to tell?"

"Where do I fucking start? Fred took a shit on my Politics textbook, I was late to class, I got to work and my boss decided that it would be nice to have us in g-strings...again-I almost got fingered by a senior citizen, and to top it all off; not a single tip all day"

"Give me a lap dance and I'll see what I can do"

"No thanks", he dismissed the snide remark. "I've removed my clothes enough for one day"

"Suit yourself", Naruto said as he looked around their vicinity.

"What are you looking for?"

He looked out of the tinted window at the now empty bench on the sidewalk. "I'm looking for the creepy guy that you said was watching you", he said as if looking for excitement.

"I just saw him, not even five minutes ago", Gaara said looking around him as well only to turn back to see Naruto giving him a look of playful hilarity.

"What?"

"Gaara if you just wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask", a simple grin graced his masculine features.

"He was sitting on that bench just before I came out, that's why didn't come out until you pulled up", he said pointing across to the empty bench only for Naruto to look at it and then drive off.

"I missed you too"

"Joke all you want but I know what I've been seeing for the past few days"

"I wasn't joking", he said making a long yet brief glance over to Gaara. "I really did miss you"

Their conversation's turns and detours sometimes felt like they matched, in amount and frequency, that of the car itself.

"It hasn't been that long", Gaara said immediately regretting his shredding of Naruto's small words of amour. "I didn't mean it like that...I just..."

"What?"

"I know it's late but I feel like I'm doing something wrong whenever you say things like that to me"

"Then I'll stop"

"No! That's not what I meant"

"Then what do you mean?" Naruto asked as his questions of frustration began to transform into demands for answers.

"I don't know, I guess I'm still getting used to the whole...'married' thing"

"Gaara I told you, this is the way it has to be for a while"

"How long is 'a while'?"

"I can't answer that right now"

It was as if someone was trying to wake him up but he wanted more than anything to be locked away in slumber, entangled in the almost intangible arms of dreaming. It was silent for most of the way back to his apartment complex.

Naruto's hand stayed behind Gaara's seat, allowing him to feel the warmth radiating from his skin. He took quick glances over to him, taking short periods of time to study his unusually focused features as they pointed at he road ahead of them; his square jaw, his icy blue eyes as they appeared sporadically with the passing of street lights, his enticing pecs on which he could lay and feel all the safety and love that life itself had to offer, the long tattoo that seemed to trace every muscle of his chiseled arm.

Naruto caught him at one point as they neared the block on which he lived making his passenger turn away quickly, wishing for his memory of him ever looking in that direction in that moment to be erased forever.

"What?"

Gaara looked ahead and pretended to be occupied with the string handing from a tear in his tight black booty shorts. "Nothing", he said in a demure voice.

His once dry palms began to sweat again as the conversationally taught vehicle pulled onto the rough terrain of the parking lot. There was something about when the car stopped that made everything in its relation seem closer that it really was.

Sometimes, the stopping of the car made even the direst of things not matter at all.

"Thanks for the ride", he said failing to look Naruto in the eyes before reaching for the door.

Naruto kept his hand behind Gaara's seat before leaning in closer, cornering him a trap of sweet and ecstatic captivity. "I know it's a lot to handle"

"What is?"

"Me and my...situation"

"I didn't mean to make you feel guilty"

"You didn't", Naruto let his hand snake onto his passenger's thigh. "Even though you have the right to"

"...", Gaara remained silent while he fidgeted. His bare thighs began to moisten atop of the black leather seats. The intoxicating scent of Naruto's cologne mixed mesmerizingly with the seemingly royal scent of the car.

"You'll have to trust me", he leaned in closer. "I'll figure something out"

"But how will I know for sure?" Gaara's throat began to tighten as his inner inquiries began to trickle out, despite his efforts to restrain them. "How do I know you're not just stringing me along?"

Naruto thought about it as his expression melted into a confident yet subtle smirk. His large hand squeezed Gaara's thigh before he captured his lips in an lifting and dizzying kiss. Gaara's senses were sent to the night sky as Naruto invaded his mouth.

As the younger moaned softly, the older couldn't help but feel as if he wanted more.

The red-head's hand found its way to the hard chest that now pressed him up against the door. Just when his pleasure was about to take off into a place in which he wouldn't soon come back from, Naruto pulled away gently, slightly taking him along.

"Trust me now?"

Gaara batted his eyelashes unintentionally, still reeling from the very appassionato kiss.

There was something in Naruto that wanted to scream aloud that if he would wait for him to formulate something that would give them the blessing of circumstance and allow them to love each other without the judging and hypocritical eyes of people.

He pulled Gaara across the divisor of the car into his lap and kissed him so fiercely that he was afraid to inflict pain. Gaara could feel himself growing as the heat in the car began to make the windows fog.

The red-head opened his cat-like eyes when he felt Naruto trying to rid him of the tiny pair of black shorts. He easily slipped them through the grooves of his bent legs and taking his shoes with his, letting his bare feet touch the leather on the sides of Naruto's legs.

He could feel those large and rough hands roam around his heat when suddenly a pair of fierce, womanly eyes appeared in his mind making him stop for a moment. He could hear Naruto's belt being unbuckled making the eyes angrier.

The kiss traveled to Gaara's neck ending in Naruto biting down into the flesh, making him cry out and grip the back of the seat harder.

Before Naruto could reach for protection under the seat, those same veiled eyes appeared in the form of a picture that sat in the cup holder right next to them making him jolted out of Naruto's lap. The older man looked at Gaara with a bewildered look.

"Was I too rough?" He had a feeling that all that didn't happen that midnight would not happen. Gaara reached in between Naruto's long legs and grabbed his discarded clothing from the floor.

"No, you were fine, I can't do this here"

"I still have the keys to the loft"

"It's not the car"

Naruto looked around and spotted the wedding picture before quickly shoving it in the glove box hoping more with his length than anything that it would appease his frantic lover.

"No! _This_", he said referring to some indiscernible broad reason for leaving, scurrying to get his clothes on before opening the door and looking back. "I'm really sorry"

"Gaara wait!"

He looked back to the older man before getting out.

"I'm leaving in a few days. And I won't be back for a few weeks", he said before grasping Gaara's lips in another fiery kiss from which it felt like they both had to put together enough effort and tear themselves away.

Naruto watched him scurry up to his apartment. He felt like he could sit there all night, vie with the longevity of the evening's darkness and wait for him to come out in the morning but he knew he couldn't. He noticed a rather large envelope that got left behind in the aftermath of the mad dash away from a heated encounter.

_What the hell is this? _He picked it up and looked inside, trying to determine if it belonged to him. His eyes wondered back up to the closed door up stairs. Naruto contemplated whether he should give the item back to him and face a possible backlash for invasion of his privacy or find out what was inside to avoid the fight for knowledge of its contents by asking him.

The black vehicle drove off into the night carrying a man still wondering would it would've felt like if passion won.

Up in Gaara's apart, he sank against the replaced door. He could still feel Naruto's hands on his bare skin. He wished he hadn't left so soon but knew he had to.

_I couldn't have him ramming into me with her looking at me with those big scary eyes of hers. _He rationalized his departure vehemently in his own mind.

Gaara undressed as Fred slept outside of the bathroom door.

The night seemed to go so slow in the moment but seemed to short at the same time.

_I wanted him so bad._

* * *

><p>The quick and changing lights from the television reflected from Karura's sleep-drenched face. She had to be at work in about seven or eight hours roughly and wasn't worried about whether she'd be able to make it to sleep, but more worried about the dreams that awaited her presence in the dreary place of revelation<p>

As a mother she could not figure out what would kill her faster. Would it be her son's heart tossed into the wind, in the form of a millions pieces or could it be her court case that would compromise her freedom that she'd grown to love over the years.

The angering part of it all was that much of her quandary could have been detected and stopped at a point unbeknownst to her, but stopped nonetheless.

The phone rang from beneath her leg that had grown numb from sitting in the same spot for a few hours. She looked at the screen to see that it was her very outré twin sister Meira.

"Hello?"

"_Did I wake you?"_

"Even if you did, that wouldn't stop the conversation"

"_You know I have to ask, my husband said I need to work on being more lady-like"_

"I always liked Sam"

"_It's better that one of us does"_

Karura giggled softly.

"_I have the feeling again"_

"What feeling?"

"_The feeling I get when there's something wrong with you"_

"You must be getting old because I'm perfectly fine"

"_First of all, we're twins; I don't get old, WE get old. Second, you're a liar; something is most definitely wrong with you"_

"You're wasting your time"

"_Karura", she appealed to her sister, reminding her of her distaste for nicknames. "Don't worry about me. I've been seeing my therapist on the regular lately, just like you told me. I can handle it"_

Karura's love for her other half suddenly swelled within her heavy laden heart and its product began to stream down her face. "Its just...that..."

"_What?"_

"They've reopened the case"

"_WHAT!"_

"Yeah, they say that an anonymous source brought in some new evidence to prove that I did it because he cheated on me"

"_Those evil sons of bitches. You did what you needed to save your child!"_

"Tell that to the D.A."

"_After all they've put you through, I just might!"_

"Meira promise me you won't get involved, this kind of stress isn't good for you"

"_Karura-"_

"Promise me!"

"_Fine, I'll stay out of it"_

"I've got enough to worry about"

"_What is this lawyer doing about it?"_

Karura scoffed. "Not a damned thing. I'd be better off defending myself"

"_Sam_ _and I can put together some money to get you a better lawyer"_

"I can't ask you guys for that kind of money-"

"_Karura, you're my sister, let me help you!"_

"What good is a better lawyer going to do anyway!"

"_It'll give you a chance", she said with a most valiant glimmer of hope. "And dammit, if I have to rob someone or win the lottery or even sell a little pussy on the side, I'll find a way to get you a better lawyer"_

Karura wiped her eyes and smiled. "I love you"

"_I love you too"_

* * *

><p>The Dawn was a decent distance away from the bright sun's presence over the gratefully nourished waters. The feathers of the birds that flew overhead were warmed comfortingly as they made their journey into the seductively alluring light.<p>

Minato had recently convinced his son to purchase one of the yachts belonging to one of the most prestigious brands for his own family but when he did, it neglected to produce in him the pride it was said to produce when sailing across the blue waters; wife and son by his side.

The purpose of the trip was for Minato to see how it glided across the water and to look for anything that could have possibly prevented the feeling from captivating his son like it did him. Charlotte was on another unexplained trip to New York with her girlfriends and Naruto Jr. was with his grandparents.

Naruto could see the docks near the beach off in the distance. Sakura and Minato joked casually with each other as the Naruto stared off towards the shore that they'd left behind. They didn't seem to notice his absence of the mind that sprang from the content of the envelope.

It had haunted him in his sleep and in the hours of him being awake. Appearing in the most frightening form was Gaara's failure to communicate such a heavy development to him. It was, to say the least, expected, but somehow he still wished he knew in advance and was not forced to find out by random occurrence.

He still had no clue who Yondaime Kazekage was or why he was murdered. In fact, the only information the he ascertained from the subpoena was that a woman related to Gaara was responsible for this man's murder and that the youth was being called to testify.

The feeling in his gut was almost parallel to that of stepping into a seemingly shallow body of water only to realize that it had not a floor of limit but only endless depth.

Even though he was sure that there was surely a bottom to the situation, the uncertainty made it just as intimidating.

He would've liked to think that he lived a sheltered life after growing up in the same. A murder case was something that he'd only heard of, leaving it in his congenital prison of non-existence that every child either fills or leaves empty during the time between their birth and their departure from their parents.

He could only imagine what the younger felt at the point. Meanwhile his subconscious mind began to build an already growing distaste for the gorgeous woman that he'd left behind when comparing her incessant complaining to Gaara's refusal to complain in excess.

He swore before his wedding day that he'd never compare them.

"Naruto!"

The pressure was released from his sealed room of thought when he saw his father standing up above him. "Yeah?"

"I thought I was going to need the paramedic", he chuckled deeply. "I was asking you if you wanted more Brandy"

"No, thanks"

"Hm, suit yourself", he said before disappearing below the top level. Sakura gave him a skeptical look and expected him to inquire the origin of her skepticism but instead he kept his eyes in the other direction towards the shore.

"That was odd; You love rum"

"I know I just don't feel much like drinking today; you know, with the motion and everything"

"You've never been sea-sick"

Naruto didn't respond, instead his eyes were still glued to the shore as if to somehow achieve some immeasurably valuable piece of knowledge or undeniable truth that would be sure to cure all traces of unhappiness from the heavily populated land form.

"..."

"Naruto!"

He was once again snatched from his confinement of pondering.

"Naruto you're scaring me, what the hell is wrong with you"

"There's something wrong"

"Yes, we've established that, what is it!"

"It's Gaara"

Sakura looked around for Minato, to find him flirting with the captain's assistant in the view of the window, and leaned in closer before proceeding. "Gaara?"

"I picked him up from work last night and-"

"You did what!"

"He said some guy was following him", he said indignantly. "I couldn't have just let it go"

"You should have and from now on you're going to have to" she asserted. "You've been seen in public enough with him without being caught"

"Nevermind that", he scooted to the edge of his seat. "He left a subpoena in my car"

"A summons? For what?"

"There was a murder about 10 years ago; Kazekage, I think it was. It said that the woman who did it was related to Gaara and the district court of Bienville wanted him to testify on her behalf"

Sakura's were wide with shock. "Did is say what her name was?"

"Karura"

"That's his mother", she said as if she wished Karura were related to Gaara in a more distant way.

Naruto ran his hands through his hair in frustration. A million and one reasons were going through his head as to why he was left in the dark. _Was he afraid of how I'd react? Did he think I'd leave?_

"Why didn't he feel like he could tell me?"

"Think about it Naruto. You've already given him the impression that you don't want to know", she said trying not to let her feelings about his marriage to Charlotte show in her voice.

He paused for a moment, pondering what she'd just said. Images of Gaara crying after he bailed him out of jail came rushing at him so fast that it nearly made him visibly wince. There was a way that he could make it right, he knew there was.

"I'm going to fix this"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Her voice dripped with a venomous doubt.

"I'm calling him"

"No!" She grabbed his hand before he went for his phone. "You can't do that!"

"Why the hell not?"

"You had no business looking into that envelope, he'll be furious"

"Well what do you suppose I do?"

"I'm sorry Naruto, I know how you feel about him but you just can't get involved", she pleaded. "I'm saying this as your friend ...and your publicist"

"Can't get involved in what?" Minato walked out with a thick crystal bottle of Brandy and sat down in front of them.

"It's nothing", Naruto said in a final and dejected tone as he refocused his vision on the shore

* * *

><p>A tense and small apartment unit, the next night<p>

Fred curled up in a tight fear-induced ball as his owner ran around the apartment frantically, throwing, slinging, digging and thrashing things about in search of a very important document.

The neighbors beneath him banged angrily on their unstable ceilings and paper thin walls while shouting disgusting threats and insults up at him to no avail. Gaara from the bathroom to the kitchen, emptying drawers and tossing them to the floor, hoping that he didn't misplace the envelope in the place he feared he did.

The court could have easily mailed another one of what it was that he requested but it wouldn't be necessary. He looked in the bathroom for it and was halted by his reflection in the mirror. He fingered his short red hair with a small sense of scorn, but quickly reprimanded himself.

After looking at his cramped living space in ruins he sat dejected up against the side of the sofa. He looked amongst the things that he threw out onto the floor but the envelope was the only thing that didn't make it to the ground.

His fears of someone reading the envelope's content made him hate his carelessness. He loathed the stupidity in him that caused him to dash from the car and leave behind the very thing that he wanted least visible. _What'll he think?_

Instilled by his mother, he always hated when a piece of business of his wasn't in his hands at all times, regardless of its content. He clenched his red hair with his fists, his anger overriding the pain in his scalp. He couldn't feel his eye water, but only the hot sensation that ran down his face and landed onto his lap.

It was one attribute that he hated about himself and sometimes, and at other times he loved; the need for secrecy.

Fred returned from his corner of protection to coddle his distressed owner but jumped away violently when there was a loud banging on the door. Gaara's hands were shaking slightly from the abrupt change in the apartment's volume.

He got up, wiping the tears from his eyes, expecting it to be a neighbor looking for a fight or Mrs. Patterson looking to see what the issue was that woke her from her evening rest.

He looked through the hole to see a pair of cooling blue eyes that made his palms sweat again making the door knob slip around in his moist hands. Naruto stood in the doorway with a concerned and yet confident stance. He was in a leather jacket, a white loose shirt and Klein jeans that hugged his mid section.

"Naruto...what are you doing here?" He asked, part of him afraid of the reasons behind his visit and part of him not caring at all.

"Gaara, I think we need to talk...", he said pulling the heavily sought after envelope from his back and handing it to him. Gaara looked up at him, at the same time feeling as if he were standing naked in the middle of the doorway for all eyes to see his exposed form.

Gaara stepped back, unintentionally letting the taller man come into the closed to trashed apartment.

"I can tell you were looking for it", Naruto said looking around the room, all the while feeling a tinge of guilt. "Look, Gaara I know a nice place we can go-"

"What were you doing with this?" His voice was grimmer than Naruto had ever heard it. He waited for a moment or two before looking up at him.

"You left it in my car"

"So that means you can look through my things?"

"I know I had no right to but-"

"But what? Why didn't I tell you? Is that what you want to know?"

"Yes! Why didn't you tell me something like this?"

"Maybe because I'm sick of you trying to help me with every fucking thing!"

He was used to protest whenever offering help to the extremely proud youth but time was of the essence when times quickness of passage made the blow sting further.

"I don't need you to pay my rent, pay my light bill, pay my tuition or pay my fucking dog's vet bill; and I damned sure don't need you to help me with this!"

"Gaara-"

"No! The poor little waiter living in the slums doesn't need your fucking pity!"

"Gaara listen to me! I know a good lawyer-"

"JUST STOP IT!" He screamed so loud that the flaps of tissue in his throat began to sting as his fists pounded wildly on the rock hard chest that wouldn't seem to stop guarding him from all hurt and harm. He beat harder and harder with all of the strength he possessed until Naruto began to retreat.

"Gaara stop! Just listen to me!" His words fell onto partially deaf ears that tried to block out all love that struggled to make it to the heart of the troubled and fierce soul.

"No! I'm through listening to you!""

Those words felt like salt on the wound whose inflictor he somehow couldn't retaliate against.

"Go back to you evil ass father and your fake ass friends! Come back when you know who are!"

"Fine! If you want to sit by and let your mother rot in prison go right ahead! I'm done!"

Naruto turned around keeping his eyes on the teary ones belonging to Gaara before walking out of the door and slamming it so hard that the wall surrounding it cracked generously. The red-head sank to his knees and screamed a blood curdling scream for all he held close to his heart into the wall of tears that blinded him from what he longed for.

The man beneath him beat the ceiling with an unknown object making Gaara reach for the glass vase on the table and slammed it into the floor, both shutting the angry man up and sending the meaningless piece of furniture into hundreds of little pieces

The older blonde haired man stopped in his tracks hearing the wrenching and passionate scream that trailed into a steady and slightly quieter sob. It began to rain with a great intensity as he stormed out to his car and drove off, the friction of his tires on the concrete echoing in the neighborhood.

As the windshield wipers cleared the heavy rain from his vision of the wet city, his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that he nearly left a permanent imprint. It would be a perpetual reminder of that night, its powers of recollection surpassing that of the most vivid of memories.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked at the name on the screen and wanted to scream into the receiver, but instead he only put it up to his ear, waiting for the slightest breath, the most minimal of words coming from him that would seemingly give him strength to do anything.

"_He tried to kill me..."_

"..."

"_She did it to save me..."_

"..."

Naruto nearly crushed the brake pedal, stopping in the middle of the street, causing disdain from drivers behind him. He swerved around the intersection, destroying a billboard on the sidewalk that displayed a woman and her husband joyously pandering to a sparkling diamond ring while substantially damaging the right side of his car.

"_She saved my life..."_

* * *

><p><em>An exhausted father with his faintly awake daughter whose hand he held, walked from a busy train station and sat down on a much sought after bench. The father pulled out a wrinkled map from his back pocket and unraveled it to see where they were in the foreign city and where was it that he needed to be before the hours of courtesy expired.<em>

"_Dad?"_

"_Yeah...", he said while his eyes still scanned the map of the large city in search of a place to stay._

"_I'm hungry"_

"_Didn't you eat on the train?"_

"_The train food was nasty"_

_He sighed before rolling the paper set of directions. "Let's go over to that restaurant over there", he said, pointing to a brightly lit eatery that could be seen from across the street as the evening neared faster than his tired body could keep up with._

"_But that's it for tonight, ok?"_

"_Ok", she complied sadly as her father took her by her hand and led her through the rapidly intermeshing crowd. He felt like an outsider, but not because he'd never stepped foot out of the small town of Jasper. It was because everyone else seemed to be headed in a direction that they knew surely would lead to a better life, while he and his child walked down the hallway leading to the vagueness of uncertainty._

_They'd left on a train a few nights before and had been migrating like western gypsies from train station to train station. A plane ticket was far too expensive and their worn out car wouldn't have made it through a journey of that length._

_In the case that they couldn't find a place to stay, which was beginning to look more and more like reality with each passing hour, a good friend of Gabriel's promised them a place to stay for a few nights. _

_They crossed the street and he saw a couple consisting of two women holding hands as they waited alongside them. The taller woman looked down at Marcia as the wind relished her bright yellow dress while they waited for the light to change._

"_What a precious little girl you have", she said making Marcia blush and twist about bashfully. _

"_What do you say?" Gabriel looked down at her._

"_Thank you", she said looking up at the two women for a split second as the group of people waiting walked across the street. Gabriel smiled at them as they walked in the other direction. He'd never seen a lesbian couple in his entire time of living. It made more ashamed than fascinated._

_The scent of the cuisine began to grow more desirable as they neared the entrance. Marcia jumped happily into the establishment and ran up to the counter causing her father to quicken his pace after her, still anxious over her whereabouts in the new place._

_There was something about LA that made him feel small, as opposed to Jasper where both the miniscule population and his sexual identity made him feel like he towered over everyone, with even his most private thoughts available to the public for mass mockery and scrutiny. _

_They found themselves at a seafood restaurant, something that was more than common back where they came from, but even when his teeth sank into the delectable grilled shrimp it almost tasted like a relinquishment from a captivity from which he didn't know he know he needed liberation from until the spicy juices trickled from the dish._

"_Dad?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_Why does the food taste so different here?"_

"_That's a good question", he said finishing his food, knowing the answer to her simple question but knew she wouldn't understand._

_With the rest of the money that he could scrape from the bottom of his wallet, he managed to gather enough to pay the fare for a taxi to take them to a place where the buses didn't run. It was a place where people like him were employed but never lived._

_He hadn't a clear idea of where they would be in the next few weeks, much less the next few months. His greatest fear was what would happen to his daughter. What school would she attend? How far behind was she already? What did his previous employer in Jasper say about him? Would he ever teach again?_

_Theses questions glued his eyes and attention to the passing by of the city that slowly turned into a place that they told him Heaven was supposed to look like. It was a place they'd told him that people like him never got to see, no matter what they did._

"_Stop here"_

_It was a house that was larger than he'd ever seen; in fact he didn't know that they made houses that size. He wouldn't have believed that they were at the correct address had it not been for the number scribbled on the crumpled map matching the golden digits in the front._

_Marcia turned her head up in the view of the window trying to find the top of the residence. It seemed to go up into the sky forever until they got out with their two bags in his hand._

"_Where are we?" Her voice was filled to the brim with wonder and as was his mind as they walked up the winding hill that led up to the equally strange and unusually large double doors. _

"_I don't even know", he said more to himself than to her as he searched the gorgeous and extravagant front door for some sort of mechanism to signify the residents that he was there. _

_Marcia jumped when her father decided to bang on the door loudly after giving up the search for a doorbell. Soon a woman in a maid's uniform came to the door with an angry expression until she suddenly recognized the two, not by name but by their status as 'father and small daughter'. _

"_Mr. Murchison. Please come in", she stepped aside to allow the two passage into the home whose spaciousness caused every sound to be repeated. She motioned for them to follow her through a long hallway that led into a smaller sitting area. _

"_I'll get Mr.-"_

"_Gabriel?" _

_The one called turned his head to see a tall muscular and breathtakingly dashing man walking up behind the housekeeper. The slim woman would never forget the feeling of warmth caused just by standing in between the two of them._

"_Is that really you?" He advanced close enough to reveal a small boy, slightly older than Marcia, standing shyly where his father had left. _

"_Yep", Gabriel said nervously as the larger man, wearing an intoxicating scent, embraced him. Marcia looked up from where her father stood and pulled on his jeans. Gabriel let got to bring his daughter closer._

"_This is my daughter, Marcia", he introduced as she looked up at him and waved. _

_He came down to her level and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, beautiful", he said in higher voice. She giggled. _

"_Um, Harold...", Gabriel said pointing at the blonde haired boy turning in the other direction. The taller man waltzed over to the smaller boy, scooping him up playfully. He hoisted the boy over shoulder making him squeal in delight only to paint his tough face on for the girl around his age when he was set down._

"_Go ahead, tell them your name", he prodded. _

"_Minato", he said bashfully trying not to look at the dark haired girl standing behind her father. The door behind them all opened to reveal the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. Her blonde hair dangled down her back underneath a blue sun hat. Her teeth were the color of pearls behind her red lipstick. _

_Her eyes were as blue as the pacific. Harold kissed her heavily before introducing his guest to her. She playfully pushed him away as he looked down to her with longing eyes. Some things can exist only in denial and wanting._

"_Honey, this is Gabriel and his little girl Marcia", he said looking at the two of them. She approached them slowly holding out her hand for Gabriel to shake. _

"_Rachel", she introduced herself importantly._

"_It's nice to finally meet you. Your husband couldn't stop talking about you over the phone", the dark haired man complimented indirectly_

_She smiled at him and then down to the little girl. "Well aren't you the most adorable thing I've ever seen" _

_He'd never forget how low he felt in her presence. "Thank you so much for letting us stay here. I promise we'll be no trouble-"_

"_Oh, rubbish. Don't you worry about a thing"_

_Harold looked over to Gabriel as he headed in the other direction to the rest of the house. "Gabriel, why don't you let me show you around? We'll catch up"_

"_That sounds great", he said putting his bags down on the floor. Rachel called out for a the butler, causing a man in a tuxedo to come from nowhere to retrieve his bags. Gabriel was about to object when the butler disappeared. He wouldn't see them until the end of the day, little did he know._

"_I'll take the little ones off your hands before I start the laundry", said the housekeeper cheerfully leading the small and wordless people away. _

"_Minato, you be nice to Marcia, she's your guest", his mother called after him._

_Harold waited for Gabriel before leaving the area. _

"_After you..."_

_Harold placed his hand on Gabriel's lower back before they both exited the room. _

_Rachel wished that she could go on living without the memory of what she'd just seen, but the potency of the two's exuding aura coupled with her intrinsic intuition were too overpowering to allow such a thing to ever go unnoticed, much less forgotten forever._

* * *

><p>The rain poured down more heavily than a short while before; it seemed to create a shimmering veil over the shanty veranda as the blessed rain fell over its rusty and aged surface. No one was out that night, not a single dog barked, not a single shot was fired, not a fickle card was laid and not a single area of visible concrete was untouched.<p>

"_She saved my life"_

Naruto found the rainy streets in the shadow of the larger portion of the wet city, underneath the consolatory flickering street lights to be somewhat romantic as he parked his car in the contorted parking lot once again. His car's windows began to be come blurry from the blanket of saving precipitation dressed the sleek black vehicle.

He looked up to the unit above him.

The same light that was on when he'd left still shined compared to the other units whose lights were shut off or considerably dimmer. He could feel a slight warmth in his gut coming from what he had come to know as a compulsiveness that was dangerously contrary to what Sakura warned.

It was a feeling of a realer chivalry than that of history. It felt as if he'd been waiting for forever to be able to grasp the very thing that he'd been deprived of since a time that he couldn't quite recollect. He tried the best to refrain from its delicious taste but couldn't; it was more irresistible than he could remember anything being.

The passion that made him blind to all of the things that he'd worked for and that mattered to the outside world, in turn made his vision tunnel-like, making him chase after the one thing of beauty in sight, blocking out all other factions and components that could possibly stand in his way.

He exited the vehicle with a slowness that surprised him even in the pouring rain. The closer he got to the building, the farther away the city lights coming from the freeway from behind seemed to get. Naruto could feel the rain running quickly down his face, drenching his hair, spotting his pants, the water danced romantically around his feet.

The new steps led him up to the unit of a rose that he wanted one day to present to the world as a peace offering for being so dishonest in their warfare. He felt as if he had somehow committed a crime when thinking of all of those who had not a career to hide behind when battling against old notions and archaic sentiments.

He knocked on the door with a softer fist than before and waited for a grueling minute before Gaara slowly opened the door. Naruto swore that he had the strength to burst through the door after all of the frustration of his stagnant pace coming up to the door.

Gaara saw not the wetness of his hair and face as it dripped onto him when the older man came closer. Naruto looked down as if he'd seen a treasure that he'd heard of in tale but never got the chance, until then, to lay his eyes upon after bypassing the shame of not seeing it before.

His larger hand traced the path of Gaara's jaw, pulling him in closer and closer until his hot breath reverberated off of Gaara's face. The magnetism that could be felt between them felt like a slight prodding from behind that they both had no choice but to adhere to.

Naruto seized the precious petals of his lover that felt like the soft and easy side of life. Gaara walked back as the strong arms wandered down his back and Naruto closed the door with his foot. The likeness of their wanting of each other was like the sweetest of addictions, only producing the disdain of others.

The rain that was once draped over Naruto now littered Gaara's clothes in the most euphoric of ways, the water dripping from his hair splashed down on the hair of the shorter of the two. Gaara moaned, feeling a piece of him being given to him.

Gaara opened his eyes to reality when Naruto pulled away. Their eyes connected for a short period, both of them thinking of something that could be deemed as appropriate to say, the degree of such decreasing as the heat that they produced began to decline.

"Why did you come back?"

Naruto smiled faintly. "I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you"

Gaara's stance in Naruto's arms weakened a little. "I shouldn't have asked-"

"Gaara, I'm not leaving again", he looked at Gaara and then at the silver watch on his wrist. It was nearing the one o'clock hour and Naruto struggled to refrain from arousal as he looked down at Gaara's scantily clothed form. He stared for a moment, time being free from its man-made system of value.

"What?"

He snapped out of his trance. "Nothing".

Remembering a thought that he had in the parking lot, he released Gaara, making an intense sense of coldness come over his smaller form. He went over and turned the faulty box fan off when the unit got cooler. Gaara's stomach growled quite audibly.

Naruto eyed him, suspecting a crime committed by the red-head's fiery pride. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Around five", he said wishing silently that Naruto wouldn't see through his lie while his body screamed for the fib's discovery. The taller man looked at Gaara suspiciously and walked casually over to the pawn-bought refrigerator. Gaara followed him closely.

"Naruto-"

A half empty bottle of water and few sticks of margarine were the sole items that littered the door and the top shelf of the appliance. Naruto looked back at Gaara with an almost livid expression before slamming the door, making Gaara jump in surprise.

"Look, I know how it looks but-"

"What the fuck, Gaara?"

"..."

"How long has it been since you've eaten?"

"...'

"Gaara!"

"A few days ago", he said, broken.

Naruto ran his fingers through his hair before turning to look back at Gaara with a look of frustration. "Go put something on; I know a good Chinese place on the West end"

Gaara decided not to object for a change and turned to the bathroom before closing the door behind him. Naruto could hear rustling clothes and water running as he saw a black box on the counter. On it was a woman with gorgeous jet black hair and on the back was a set of instructions.

"Naruto?" Gaara called from interior of the small bathroom.

"Yeah?" He struggled to concentrate on his name being called, still upset over the existence of the black box.

It stared at him a confidant scowl, praising its own merits for being able to reach into the mind of his lover and change a most distinct trait.

_Why would he do this?_

"Didn't Sakura say you couldn't be seen in public with me anymore", he said with an assurance of the statement's truth. "What if someone sees us?" He came out in a pair of vogue hole black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a large checkered scarf that drooped down to his midsection, to tantalize the eyes that watched but elude their suspicion at the same time

"Don't worry about me", he said holding the black box of hair dye behind his back allowing Gaara to exit first. Naruto discreetly threw the product in the dumpster that was on the other side of the rail.

The younger of the two locked the door and, in the still pouring rain, they both ran out to the car. Gaara made it in first as Naruto ran to the other side after making sure the other was in. The widow wipers struggled for a few more moments. As they pulled away from the parking lot the rain began to let up.

Gaara fiddled with his thumbs as the car drove over the bumpy concrete road leading out of the area of L.A. where Gaara lived. Naruto looked over to him for a brief moment. It seemed as if he had a question burning on his mind but refrained for fear of his reaction.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"How can you be so sure someone won't see you?"

"I know someone will see us", he said calmly.

"What?"

Naruto laughed. "But no one will care, that's just the kind of place this is"

"I don't mean to be a pest but, sometimes I feel like a...a...", he struggled to find an adequate analogy for something that draws unwanted attention but soon gave up in a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, just forget I asked"

"Look I know you're worried about me, but we're fine, I promise", he said smiling over to him as his muscular tattooed arm draped over the head rest of Gaara's seat again. "If I'd ever take a risk it would be for you", in a low voice.

Gaara felt that same tingle in his stomach as they neared the demure restaurant. He began to think he'd never get used to the feeling of being wanted for his mind body and soul, and then again he never wanted to in the first place...

"You'll love their noodles", he said looking in his rear view mirror, parking, while Gaara couldn't help but feel that Naruto's career was hanging in the balance. He looked around the parking lot that was draped over by the night but spotted with the lights of L.A.

Naruto got out first before Gaara's hand moved to the handle. He was still getting used to that. Something that he wasn't used to was, in every sense of the word, kindness. It graced him with its presence fleetingly, like a cameo in a frenzied and darkly themed film, never appearing for more than a little while.

Coming up close to the taller man as he got out, he inhaled involuntarily the masculine scent of his cologne that was intensified by the humidity left behind by the previous rain shower. He stopped himself from losing his awareness of what was going on. They had to get inside for Naruto's promise to be fulfilled.

_Tz Yo_, was its name. Its name made Naruto envious of the bright red sign above the entrance. Gaara looked around, observing the vehicles in the parking lot, all of which more than likely were worth more than he could even imagine.

The doors consisted of a black colored glass with and interesting texture as Naruto let him pass through first. The tantalizing smell of the food cooking inside made his stomach growl even louder. He wrapped his hands around it as if to mute the sound that screamed for help, a sound meaning much more than physical hunger.

The inside was dazzling.

It was too unreal to be a dream, yet too real to be some otherworldly passage out of life. The red and orange lights, the intricately designed carpet, the matching wall color, the tank of small fish of the same colors, the people.

The people all looked unfamiliar as usual, but they kept their conversations alive, not bothering to come up to the man standing next to him. Not a single eye pointed in their direction, no one came up in an unflatteringly tight dress to express her or his disdain for his being there, not a word of malice or condescendence, just conversation.

It was as if everyone came under a single understanding that no one who walked through the black doors was any less than anyone currently sitting. No one wanted to know the other's secrets on account of the fact that they had a few of their own, and their reputation or career equally was at stake.

They all shared a mutual mind set as the two were led to the table on the corner on the far end. Gaara looked around more, earning a smile of adoration from his older counterpart.

"What do you think?"

"I can only imagine how the food taste's"

They both opened the menu and Gaara's eyes grew two or three sizes larger when they ran across the prices. Naruto chuckled at his astonished ocular expression, in a way already knowing the cause.

"Expensive, isn't it?"

"That's an understatement; $50.00 for a fucking bowl of noodles"

"The best bowl of noodles you'll ever taste"

"I can't-"

"For fuck's sake Gaara can you stop being so goddamned proud for once and let me buy you some expensive food", he said indignantly, not realizing the comicality of his statement until the waiter smiled, patiently waiting for them to give him their requests.

Gaara, not knowing what to order, let Naruto order two of whatever he wanted. He briefly pondered over what he'd just been told, feeling guilty for giving him such a hard time after all he'd gone through just in order satisfy a feeling for him that he couldn't quite identify. The waiter left.

Naruto looked over at Gaara's state of serene perplexity.

"Look, I didn't mean to snap at you like that, I-"

"No, you're right, I do need to lighten up", he took a sip of the sparkling water placed in front of him. When Naruto gave a deep sigh while looking at him he had a feeling of closeness to a place to which he didn't want to go anytime soon.

"So, you wanna tell me what's been going on?" He gave a half smile, trying, futilely, to lessen the weight of his question. "You don't have to if you don't want to"

"Well..."

He went into great detail over the event of the government agent coming to his school, the man outside of his job, his decision to not spend on food to save up for a plane ticket, his mother's and his predicament with the old case, and the subtleties that he secretly wanted to tell any other that would bother to listen, but wouldn't.

Naruto massaged the thick stubble on his chin, thinking of a way to respond to the long summation of the things missed.

"I wanted to tell you, but I know you have a wife and kid to take care of now, so I just sort of...dealt with it myself you know?"

Just as he was about to answer their food arrived and Gaara dug into it immediately. Suddenly Naruto had lost his appetite, a result of mixed feelings for what could be and what was and what he was satisfied with.

They always told him that flings were supposed to stay flings and nothing more, which was a rule that he'd already broken. Not wanting to delve into a personally controversial topic of internal debate, he began to eat whatever he could for as long as a period of armistice in his mind would last.

Gaara finished off the moderately sized bowl and wiped his mouth, embarrassed for his sloppy manner of eating making Naruto chuckle.

* * *

><p>A front door, 3:00 a.m.<p>

The rain started again.

Naruto's car was sloppily parked in the lot behind the two as they were one.

Gaara's sea foam green mixed with an ocean's blue.

"What time does your plane leave?"

"Ten o'clock"

Gaara's back grew closer and closer to the door behind him. The rain drenched the both of them.

Naruto claimed Gaara's lips in a kiss that said all that needed to be said without words spoken.

His large hands traced a beautiful portrait along the curvature of the red-head's back, the soft skin melting around his touch.

Their bodies intertwined in the sweetest way, their eyes closed, dreaming as one, of a world where they could make love unapologetically.

Naruto pulled away softly, keeping his eyes on Gaara. He leaned in and passed his face, his lips having no value of distance from Gaara's ear.

"I'll see you soon"

"What do you mean?"

"Check your mail the day after tomorrow"

A breath of a promise, a whisper loud enough to echo forever.

Gaara clung to the door as Naruto turned away slowly, keeping his eyes connected to the other pair for as long as he could. He waited for the door of Naruto's car to close before he retreated to his apartment, not wanting to dry off, and only wanting to bask in the sweet wetness all night long.


	9. real

_In the heat of the summer night_

_When the light of the moon is not powered by the distant sun_

_But by the passion that lies within, in his eyes_

_The souls of you two are not hindered by the barriers of distance_

_Intertwined in the realest way_

_Feeling every touch untouched and every breath not taken_

_Feeling as if there is no other feeling than can compare_

_Feeling strange and dizzying all at once_

_In a ecstatic flurry of thoughts and desires _

_All cultivated by a growing want stemming from within_

_Yes, is all that can be muttered _

_As all other words seem too long or too short_

_All other words are meaningless compared to the fire of the moment_

_The sweat rolling from their backs_

_Each tiny drop, matching the falling of their tears_

_His sea-like pools mix with the beauty of the stone_

_The stone washed over by the sea's sweet and precious foam_

_In between the grooves of the rocky shores_

_The two coincide_

_Nobody could hold him the same way_

* * *

><p>Naruto hated flying at night.<p>

It was if the night was a mask that acted as an accomplice to the passing of time, hiding the immeasurable entity as it went by with unparalleled quickness.

Time can be a vicious and irascible instrument of torture when it is implemented against two lovers that are currently separated. It twists their loins, brutalizes their flesh in the most agonizing way as their bodies long for one another as do their hearts.

They'd engaged in an unspoken promise to communicate along the span of their time apart. It felt like the right thing to do, concerning the dilemma of finding some way to ease the passage of said time. It failed as the sound of their voices over the phone only reminded them of the other's absence.

With every breath that was translated electronically across their parting distance, their bodies and souls began to look more like the others', a resemblance that had grown to symbolize their feelings for each other.

The agony of not being within the Proximity of Lovers returned seemingly at the random moments that the rhythms of their hearts crossed paths.

Sweat during the night, and soreness of loins were all they had to show for their missing of each other. It was shameful in a way, since separation had made its presence known before while the pangs of such did not. Was it because they'd made love to each other? Or was it because they were both experiencing something in their separate lives that signified the end of the way things used to be?

Naruto had never been afraid of flying not excluding his first time, however the airborne vehicle seemed to slowly transform into a harrowing prison as the number of feet between the plane and the ground multiplied. The seatbelts were his shackles and the fellow teammates, some asleep and some not, were his cell mates. Only it was him who wished to be anyplace but one that snatched control from his masculine hands.

His mouth began to grow dry after a few failed attempts to focus on the paragraphs in a book that may as well have not been there at all. Each word was a trustworthy reminder, sure to make him think of Gaara. He'd long since given up on music as his ears seemed to play salacious tricks on him.

Naruto's palms were soft from the light perspiration that lightly graced them making the seemingly blank pages stick efficiently.

Sasuke sat behind him wondering about the cause of Naruto's incessant fidgeting that began shortly after the plane took off. _Poor bastard probably misses his family already...Or maybe...?_

He wished as any loved one would that his close friend hadn't slipped back into the uncouth and wayward wiles of the young red head for whom he'd began to develop a genuine dislike. He wanted to think that his status as a wealthy and happily married family man was the soothing coolness that doused, by his standards, the fiery affair guarded and engulfed by tall flames of unconventionality.

He wanted so badly to believe that it was Charlotte that he missed do much, a woman desired by men wherever she did so little as walk through the door, a woman who could have and would have anything she claimed as rightfully hers in the name of her willpower and physical beauty.

Unaware that his wife was silently being made a scapegoat for his hunger, Naruto got up to go to the restroom at the rear of the jet. He couldn't escape the ridiculous suspicion that his filthy, brazen and unbridled thoughts about his red headed lover were as visible to those whom he passed as the very clothes on his body.

He felt a much needed wave of relief come over him as he locked the door behind him and the sound of urine hitting metal hit his ears. He tried to clear his mind of things in an attempt to ease his throbbing manhood. Images of his lover danced freely along the road of his imagination.

If it weren't for the prospect of him and his team advancing to and consequently winning the Super Bowl, wishing that he'd not left LA at all would have been a lot easier. He couldn't abruptly leave, nor would it be very wise for him to fly Gaara out to a city where he would be for only a few days at the most. Though the prospect of staying in the hotel the entire time was oddly heavy enough to sway his decision in the other direction, he quickly brushed it aside.

As an amateur player in his younger days his father warned him against letting the smoke from short flames cloud his view of the highest prize in a game like football. He only wished he could have known then what a sharp turn he would make from the cold warning.

He felt a tinge of guilt as he washed his hands and splashed water into his face. He tried and failed disparagingly to remember being this infatuated with his wife when they first met. It was evident that he was in love with her but such a love was pathetically miniscule compared to the indescribable infatuation he felt for Gaara.

Every time the red head crossed his mind, he brought along all of the things that Naruto wanted in his life rather than the things wanted for him. Gaara was for Naruto an outer body experience, making him see himself in a critical light, all the while making him feel more alive than anyone ever could. Out of fear of going too far into his feelings for Gaara he left the restroom

Every glance of that wretched and beautiful color nearly drove him in and out of his sanity. He ran his hands through his blonde hair, something that was becoming an annoying habit, as he sank back into his seat.

About forty-five minutes passed before the seat belt light went off again and the pilot's soft voice came over the PA letting the passengers know that it was safe to move about the luxurious cabin. Sasuke took this as a golden opportunity to confirm the cause of Naruto's outlandish behavior.

He looked down at his best friend as he gazed intently out into the clouds as their different shades changed slowly. He called his name. They were no more than a foot from each other.

No answer was given.

"Naruto"

"..."

He called him again.

If he could fool his friend into thinking he was asleep, perhaps he could block out all reckoning from both the side on which he wished to be and the side to which he chose not to cling. Sasuke persisted.

"Naruto"

Sasuke reached forward and shook the QB by his broad shoulder making Naruto turn to face him as if he'd been listening the entire time.

"What?"

"What the fuck has been with you lately?" He sat down next to a baffled 27 year old.

"I don't know what you're talking about", Naruto looked back into the meaningless book that lay open to the last page in his lap.

"You've been looking out of that damned window since you got on the plane, you haven't said a word to anyone, I had to use the Jaws of Life to get you out of dreamland just now", his gruff voice took a softer turn. "I'm worried, man"

Feeling guilty for brushing a genuine concern aside, Naruto looked up from the poor excuse for a distraction. "Look, I'm glad you're concerned but I'm fine, honestly"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just miss my family, that's all"

"Oh"

Naruto's stomach dropped at the tone of Sasuke's last reply. That tone was always present when Sasuke knew something he shouldn't.

"Naruto, you know you can tell me anything..."

Just as he prepared to make his descent into Naruto's hidden secrets, the QB's phone buzzed in between them and Gaara's face appeared on the screen when he pulled it out of his pocket. Naruto wanted to look up at Sasuke to establish credibility, but it was too late.

"Is this kid still calling you?"

Naruto hated that word when people belonging to his circle of relations used it to refer to Gaara, partially because he couldn't understand how some could forget a name like his and partially because it was a quick and easy way to highlight their more important differences.

"Nah, he probably just had the wrong number or something", he said forcing himself to press 'ignore'. He'd never forget how much it hurt to do that. It felt as if he told Gaara in person that he wasn't important to him, that he didn't matter when confronted by the questioning factions of his visible life

Sasuke scoffed at the red head's presumed mistake and went back to his seat before asking the young and fair flight attendant for some Scotch. He knew Naruto was lying but he wished it weren't so with so much vigor that he found himself content with the simple fact that he wasn't the only one in denial.

Naruto's heart sank when Gaara didn't call again.

_Why did I do that?_

_Did I have a choice?_

* * *

><p>A steady clicking of heels reverberated off of the marble walls of the bottom floor lobby of a business tower on the north side of downtown LA. She had on a pair of cat-eye sunglasses that seemed to be, to everyone who saw her, a marquee of self worth and overpowering dignity.<p>

Charlotte's walk did most of the talking before her counterparts could hear words come across her blood red lips.

Her heels were her pride; they're red soles were the only remnants left of the victims over which she walked. She had a mission on her mind and a next victim in clear sight, a youth that tried to take what was hers, an offense that she found to be unpardonable.

Gaara unnervingly crossed her when he caught the eye of her husband even in their days of irreconcilability. He stood in the way of their happiness even in their days of marital bliss, however shaky it seemed at times on Naruto's half of the partnership.

That red headed kid from the deep south, he'd batted his eyelashes a few times and beat her at every turn. Something had to be done and on that day, and such an event would occur.

From the time when she was a young girl, her mother drilled into her all of the rules and principles that were necessary in order to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with a wealthy man. The instruction took a downturn when Charlotte's love and respect for her mother was being taken advantage of in order to turn her into a carbon copy of Janet.

But by the time he mustered up the gall to stop the process, her father was already far too late. Charlotte had developed into a money-hungry monster that could only be stopped by her own demise. The prospect of such a thing as an alternative to changing her life frightened him. He felt the blame for not speaking sooner on his shoulders as his daughter's destructive schemes unfolded before his eyes.

She boarded the elevator with a few other people in business attire, a woman behind her laughed softly on the phone.

Charlotte knew that if Naruto found out about her meeting then he'd easily connect the dots and consequentially find the source of his lover's misfortune. She had to find some help though, with some with a common interest as it seemed that an unyielding force of nature was working on the youth's behalf.

_Floor 1, floor 2, floor 3, floor 4..._

The numbers on the screen above them increased as people got on and off, Charlotte dreaded waiting at the expense of other people, but she realized that it was the price to pay when going to see the man who possessed more power than anyone on the entire building.

Minato's oil company had started over twenty-five years ago and each year brought new growth, in wealth and in building expansion, with the exception of that year.

Profits had all but taken a nose dive since the prior years' success and the downturn's origins were still baffling even to the staff of economic experts that Minato had grown to trust over the years. However this conundrum was neither Charlotte's concern nor was she planning on making it a topic in conversation.

Reaching the top floor, she was momentarily taken aback by its lush and modern décor. It was as if it were decorated by Providence itself. She continued her stride to the receptionist's desk and stated her name. The young woman looked up at her from her computer screen, surprised.

Her boss told her to look for a beautiful woman coming in for an unscheduled meeting with him but she had no idea what she was in store for.

"Is there a problem?" She hid the impatience in her voice tastefully.

"Please forgive me, Mrs. Uzumaki", she apologized getting up from her chair. "Right this way, Mr. Uzumaki has been anticipating you"

She smiled politely to the receptionist as she held the door open. Charlotte walked into the surprisingly simple office. It was almost in complete contrast to its outside surroundings. Minato thanked the receptionist from behind his computer screen before getting up from his seat to greet his daughter-in-law.

Charlotte would never admit how much she respected Naruto's father as opposed to the man who aided her mother in bringing her into the world. She began to see her father as a weak man who'd lost his spine years ago. She couldn't understand why such a thing could happen to a man that she once respected as a young girl.

"A little fancy?" He joked in reference to her exquisite fashion. "You look dressed to kill"

"Starting off with flattery, my goodness you Uzumaki men are all the same", she said behind a smirk.

"Where as you married my flesh and blood", the tall man shot back wittingly.

"I'm never under-dressed when there's business to be taken care of", she said pulling out a case file that was almost three inches thick. It made a crushing landing on the mahogany desk.

"What's all of this?" Minato sat on the edge of the desk and fingered through its contents. His pace slowed when he got to the more telling documents inside the manila folder. He looked at her over the brim of the files in his hand.

"Where did you find this?"

"An old friend in Louisiana's legal department owed me a favor", she said clearing her eyes of a lock of her hair. "I've been paying attention to your friend that's been following him around"

"So you know of Georges?"

"I slept with him in college"

Minato chuckled. "I didn't really think he was your type"

"He had something I wanted, I thought of it as a trade off"

"I like the way you think"

"Likewise", she said swiftly. "Enough with the niceties, we want the same thing, I've tried your way already, trust me it's too messy"

"And this is your alternative"

"Yes, it'll get the point across and nobody gets hurt"

"Why Charlotte, you seem to be getting soft on me", he smirked.

"Soft? He would've been dead last month if it weren't for that meddling wife of yours and that fact that it would tear our boy apart"

"Naruto's strong. He'd be over it in a matter of days", Minato lit a cigar. "Besides, there's only one thing men like my son want from undesirables like...what's the kid's name?"

"Gaara Sebaku", she said through half-clenched teeth. The name was sour and stinging as it burned her lips to even mutter it.

Minato laughed as he went around having a seat at his desk. "So, what about this court case is going to give him the run?"

"His mother murdered his father about eleven years ago but the case was dismissed because a few neighbors saw him beat her. I had an old friend present some 'new' evidence to the DA. His mother's already hired the best attorney she can afford, which isn't much by what I could dig up", she sounded confident as she looked through Karura's information.

Minato's widening eyes signified his backing of the plan more than a document ever could. "How are you going to let them know what's at stake?"

"My plane leaves tonight"

* * *

><p>The small dimly lit café on the lower side of Baton Rouge seemed to be a makeshift safe haven for Gaara until he could find himself back in Naruto's arms again. The people inside seemed to be so happy and content with the direction of their lives, even though he knew not a soul there.<p>

The trial was being held in Baton Rouge, that being the only city near enough to Bienville with a functioning courthouse that could hold the amount of people that would constitute a sizeable gallery. Yondaime Kazekage was well known among many people in Louisiana even though his side of the family lived in Toulouse, France.

There were some that viewed her as a walking murderer in spite of her account and some who gave her a personal reprieve because of her account on that night.

As a man who owned his own successful trucking business during a time when success was scarce, a lot of citizens in the southern part of the state were taken fiercely aback when they found about his murder at the hand of his own wife; especially after many assumed that they had a perfect marriage.

Ever since the incident, Karura and her son had been inseparable. Both were willing to fight tooth and nail to defend the honor of the other, one for the decision she was forced to make to save her child, and the other for a matter of apart of his identity.

The retrial was scheduled to begin the next day and the youth felt as if misery had just come out of a dry spell and was looking to swallow him live and whole to make up for it.

He wanted to write his feelings down, but couldn't out of fear of bawling in front of people who he knew didn't care to ask why. He wanted answers as to why this nightmare was coming back and who was responsible for its return.

His mother wanted to be with him but she was consulting with her lawyer and he professionally felt that it was best that they not communicate until the trial was over. He feared for how much she must have been afraid; afraid for her freedom, afraid for her life.

The very thought of his mother going to prison made his skin tighten.

Gaara wouldn't know what he would do if he weren't able to seek her counsel at anytime when life got too confusing for him to solve certain issues on his own. His love affair with Naruto would have been a complete disaster had it not been for her and her unbiased words of wisdom.

He tried to make him self feel better by thinking of the beautiful flowers that Naruto had sent to him, until the thought of him not answering his phone entered his mind.

For anyone else a missed call would have been brushed off as simply a bad time to talk. But Naruto always answered or at least called shortly after. It had been nearly 7 hours since he'd called; the disappointment was amplified by how much he needed and wanted desperately someone to talk to.

_Oh, stop it! You sound like a spoiled child._

_Naruto's a Quarterback only a few games away from the Superbowl, THE SUPERBOWL! He's got better things to do than listen to you cry about your sad life. _The more he scolded himself, the more he missed Naruto's warm deep voice over the phone.

He wanted to call him again but that same tired old entity loomed over his head after just the thought. _His damned career._

_I know he's worked his whole life to be where he is now but...Listen to me, I sound so selfish._

The frustration almost brought him to tears. He had to write it down. It was something his Aunt Meira taught him as a small child and it proved more and more useful as his life began to take drastic turns. He had to muster up the strength to compose himself in front of all of the people.

Writing his lamentations down seemed to give him the opportunity to see them in a more impartial light.

He took a pen and his notebook out of his bag before letting out a deep sigh.

_Dear Diary, _

_Sorry about waiting so long to write lately. I guess it really hasn't been on my mind. _

_Someone, I don't know who, dug up this damn case again and now my mother could be put in prison for capital murder. I feel like I'm in a horrible dream that I can't wake up from. Everything seems to be coming to a head all at once._

_At first I didn't think I could write this all down without bursting into hysterical tears in front of all of these strangers, but I think I'll be ok now._

_The way it came about, it was as if I ran into a brick wall. I would have never expected this case to come back up again, I can't tell you how bad it was the first time around. I can even imagine what my mother's going through right now. She must be so afraid. I wish more than anything to be with her right now. We need each other during times like these. I'm glad she has Aunt Meira with her though._

_I'm scared to even think about what it might be like if she loses this time. I'd be completely and utterly helpless in LA without being able to talk to her everyday. She's everything to me. I can't lose her, I just can't._

_We've been through everything together. We know each other more than anyone one. I guess you don't have a choice when that person is all you've had for so long. She's the only friend I really have, now that I think about it. _

_They used to make fun of me in school because I would go around telling everyone that my mother and I were the best of friends. They were wrong then and they couldn't be more wrong now. I wasn't really good at maintaining friendships in school. I didn't feel like I needed to._

_It would be a lot easier if I had someone to tell all of this to. No offense._

_I called Naruto earlier to day. He didn't answer. It's been seven hours and he hasn't even called me back. Yeah, I know he has a pretty demanding job, getting crushed by linemen and all but..._

_I guess I should stop being so damned selfish, he'd call if he had the time. We're not entirely exclusive yet, as I m sure you can probably tell. He probably doesn't want to be around all of his teammates telling another guy how much he wants to see him. _

_I miss him so much; we've only been apart for about a week and a half and I feel like I'm dying. I really feel bad for his wife, she's known him far longer than I have and she's actually married to him. I guess when you think about it, that kind of thing wouldn't matter when you love a person; how long you've know him._

_He sent me this gorgeous bouquet of roses the day after he left for New York. I would tell you how I felt the moment that I got them but I don't think I could find the words to do so. _

_It wasn't anywhere near how I felt the night before. We got in a bigger fight than we've even gotten in. We ended up trying to eat each other. How did that happen you ask? I haven't a clue._

_He took me to this fancy Chinese place. The food was orgasmic, that might've been because I hadn't eaten in almost two days trying to save up enough money to get here. He nearly blew a fucking gasket when he saw my fridge. My stomach was almost roaring. _

_I think that's why I love him. Never has a man cared about me like Naruto does. Even though I give him hell whenever he tries to do anything for me. I think that's another reason why I love him. No matter how much I push him away, he cares enough to keep trying._

_No one's cared that much, not even for sex. _

_Maybe somewhere deep beneath all of my father's layers of hate, anger and evil he cared about me. I try not to think about him too much. I don't have many memories of him that don't involve him screaming or beating the hell out of my mother and me._

_I hope we can come out of this ok. I'd do anything to have my mother back. _

_Anything._

* * *

><p>An enormous home, Kushina learned in the recent years, brought more sorrow than joy as she was the only person in it for much her and Minato's marriage. She'd grown to dread the echoing that occurred when she called out to no one, thinking that a sound she heard was her husband walking through the door.<p>

When the construction of the mansion was complete and the furniture was put in, Kushina would swear to anyone she knew that she was living in the best imitation of Heaven on Earth. As the years went by, Heaven on Earth began to look like Earth instead of Heaven.

Its beauty seemed to lose its vitality with each night that Minato stayed at the office, spent days and often weeks away at conventions and the plants scattered around the country. She began to cherish the time away from the French inspired castle simply because she was with the man she vowed to spend the rest of her life with.

Then came the arguments about how much time he spent away from home, the galleria of different perfumes that made his suits smell up the entire laundry room, and the novel-worthy list of excuses for abandoning her many simple requests for a little time together. He always seemed to be apologizing for something.

All throughout the storming out the door and business related reasons for not being with her, her house was all she had. The gleaming marble floors were her fortitude and the twinkling glass fixtures on the ceilings of every major room in the house were her knight in shining armor.

As a young wife she often found herself talking to the emptiness of the palace. The words started out few and far between and soon she was poring out her heavy heart to the champagne colored barriers.

Something had to be done. Fast.

With no major form of education she was left with the options that didn't require such things as degrees or certifications. She couldn't bear the thought of going back to college. Her pride wouldn't let her. Then it struck her, an idea that shot down from the stars.

Event planning.

She'd gotten plenty of experience planning countless events for her husband's fellow moguls and she planned both of her sister's weddings. The way she saw it, she'd gotten more education without school that she would with it. It was a sure-fire way to keep her from going insane being trapped inside those walls with which she'd developed some sort of a love-hate relationship.

Soon she became one of the most sought after event planners in LA. Part of her drive to succeed stemmed from her frustration at her failing marriage and the other half came from her wanting to know that she'd have a financial cushion to break her fall if the marriage did fail.

She walked in the house after a lengthy bout with an indecisive client that was soon to be a bride in less than a month. Dropping her keys in the glass bowl, she didn't call to Minato after she saw his car in the garage as she knew he wouldn't answer.

As if by some psychological programming, he spent his first few hours at home after work in his office, either attending to something related to work and sometimes reading into something of his own volition.

Walking up the long winding staircase she could hear him ruffling through some papers. _He must have forgotten to close the door. _She could see that the stack he was fumbling through was incredibly thick.

_What on earth is that...?_

She could see him reading something from the crack in the doorway, it looked important as his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. It was as if he were reading something that answered or justified all that he believed in. He didn't even look up to see his wife standing in the doorway. Her distance away from his desk led him to believe that she could possibly see its contents.

She admired the work that the architect did on Minato's office so many years ago. Every patters and indentation of the walls and ceiling received equal amount of detail and immaculate design.

"What's that?"

He snapped up so quickly that a lock of his gray hair flipped down in front of his eyes. "Oh, its just some files I found lying around my office", he said trying to find the right time to put it away.

"Pretty thick. It couldn't have missed your sight for too long". Her uncanny vision was the wind that guided her to truth when she spotted a name on the corner of the file folder. _Sebaku A., Karura._ She tried not to stare and let him in on her finding. She smiled at him meekly.

"I don't tell you enough how much I love you, darling"

He was surprised at the pouring of affection after a seemingly never ending spell of arguing. He smiled. "I love you, too"

"Well I'll let you get back to work", she said turning on her heels. She kept her composure until she got to their bedroom, quite a far distance down the hallway. She looked behind her as she closed the door. Looking at the bay window ahead of her, her mind didn't know which question to address first.

_Why did he have a case file? Why was Gaara's mother's name in it? What could she have done? And what the hell would Minato want with it? He's never spoken to Karura a day in his life, at least not that I've heard of. Something isn't right. Nothing's seemed to be right ever since that kid walked into our lives. Sure, everything wasn't perfect, but it was normal._

_I hate to think ill of him but...Dammit! After Naruto brought him home, the tabloids came, Charlotte came, the baby came, and now this. _

_Unless...Oh, no._

She'd be the last person to accuse someone of blackmail, but her daughter-in-law was an immediate exception. It all began to make some sort of sense; there was only one thing she had to do in order to be sure that she hadn't jumped to an incorrect conclusion.

_I've got to get my hands on that case file._

She thought and pondered alone in her room for about three hours.

It was about 9:16 when she realized that she still had on her heels and suit.

She looked into the mirror as she undressed in front of her boudoir and thought over what she'd told Gaara's boss months before. Only this time she was under the suspicion that it wasn't only her husband involved in what could possibly be a deathly damaging scheme. She knew Minato all to well and thing like that wasn't apart of his repertoire.

It was more obvious than not that it was a woman behind all of this. All she had to do was find out how, and why.

In a way, it hurt her that her son was trapped between love and two people that were supposed to love him, but instead conspired together for either what they wanted or what they thought was best for him. She was ashamed of them both, but her shame stretched farther across the actions and compliance of her husband.

When they brought Naruto into the world, she felt as if she created something greater than anything she or Minato could ever be. Her love for Naruto was so great that she feared that there wouldn't be enough left for another child.

Many in both sides of the family scolded the young couple for not conceiving another child, but Kushina would hear none of it. She refused to bring a child into the world only for them to be loved less than their older sibling. She never regretted her decision.

"Honey, I left something at the office, I'll be back in an hour!" He yelled to the room and could soon be heard making his way down the stairs.

_Now's my chance._

She crept to the door and opened it making sure the light was off in Minato's office down the hall. Walking down the hall she hoped that the desk was still weighed down by the heavy case file. And to her great dismay, the contents of the desk were organized and arranged neatly with the exception of the file.

She scurried around the place, looking thorough every open cabinet, shelf, bin and binder. Then it hit her.

Kushina looked over to the painting on the wall. It was an eighteenth century work of art; the depiction of a dark sky with the most miniscule ray of sunlight that gallantly peered through the dark mass. Whenever she saw the painting, she always found herself astounded that even though the ray was small, it told the story of the entire painting.

_It must be..._

She carefully took the painting down from the wall to reveal a mid-sized safe, secured by an electronic combination lock. _Damn, what is that combination again? _

She thought carefully for a moment, trying to remember what part of Minato's life was the combination. She pounded her fist to her head in frustration as Minato would be home soon and that was an argument that scared even her.

_I know it has something to do with one of his parents...YES! The day his father passed away!_

_3-12-97_

The metal safe beeped softly before snapping open. The file was closed with the rubber band and underneath a few stacks of money. Her husband would be livid if he knew of her knowledge of the safe's combination. She'd figured it out years ago but never let him know out of fear of him changing the combination again.

The heaviness of the folder made her heart pound even faster than before as though it signified what was inside. She opened the folder and she nearly vomited at the negatives clipped to the front. They depicted a man covered in a stream of blood originating from his head.

The other photos were of the remnants of his skull and blood on the floor walls and a few pieces of furniture. The last photos seemed to be the murder weapon that lye less that a foot from his lifeless body.

_Yondaime Kazekage..._

She flipped through the documents of the folder until she came across the police report. As her eyes skimmed down the page he hand crept up to her mouth in utter shock. She was pointed in the right direction by seeing the file in her husband's possession but she wished she hadn't.

Kushina closed the file as she didn't need to look any further and returned it to where she initially found it. She reached upward to put the painting back in its place.

"What are you doing?"

Kushina turned slowly to the man standing in the doorway with his arms folded. "I could ask you the same thing, Minato", she said as her tone rose. "What the hell are _you _doing?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Don't you play games with me, you bastard! Where the hell did you get that case file?!"

"I don't have to listen to this", he said turning to leave.

"I swear to God if you walk away from me..." He was nearly burned by her suddenly low tone as he turned to her and came closer.

"You just don't get it, do you?"

"_I _don't get it?!" She slapped her hand onto the origin of her breast. "Please enlighten me Minato, what the fuck don't I get?!"

"Our son is trying to THROW his life, his dreams, his family, all he's worked for his whole life away for some tramp he met in a fucking bar and you're letting him", he said through grit teeth. "And if he's anything like the both of us, he'll stop at NOTHING until he does just that!"

Kushina looked Minato in his eyes. She couldn't help be see a man miles away from the prince she fell in love with.

"In the name of your love, OUR love for our son and his future _let this happen_!"

An estuary of tears, measured on the scale of a careworn face, streamed down Kushina's face before she slapped him with every ounce of strength she had. His pride wouldn't let him touch the stinging mark forming on his face.

"I don't know who you are but I want my husband back", she said with a trembling voice.

"I'm a man who wants what's best for my son", he said with anger boiling beneath his voice. "And I'm sorry that I can't say the same for you"

"Really? Because I see a ruthless monster who'd exploit a boy who watched his battered mother shoot his father", she leaned close to his face. "And you're a fool if you think I'll sit idly and-"

"You're too late"

"What are you talking about?"

"Charlotte's already in Louisiana and you know better than I do that Naruto never answers his phone after a game."

"He'll know what's going on, I swear he will!"

"And what makes you think he'll believe you, the one person in his life who frowned on their marriage from the start", he said in a factual tone. "He knows you'd do anything to break them apart"

She felt as if the grips of misfortune and misunderstanding held her tongue.

"Maybe one day you'll see..."

She felt more helpless than she'd ever felt in her entire life as he walked past her and into their bedroom. All she could think about was what would happen to the boy she'd grown quite fond of and the boy that became a man and that she loved more than life itself.

* * *

><p>Even the sharpest roses shed their thorns every now and again.<p>

Gaara's body felt weak as he nearly collapsed onto the soft sheets. They were a comfort to him as his nerves felt like they were being run over by a high utility vehicle. He still wasn't able to speak to his mother until the trial was over, despite how much he begged the lawyer.

After trying his best to write his troubles down he settled for speaking with his aunt, who knew just as much about what was going on as he did. The last thing that they heard was that they had a strong upper hand that could easily give her 30 years in prison.

He was coddled by the soft sheets of the moderately priced hotel but he still couldn't find the capacity to fall asleep. He tried showering, but from that he only gained damp hair and a change of clothes. He tried reading but the every sentence seemed to remind him and his mother's woes.

By midnight he began to worry with the trial being the next day.

Television had little value to him when the TV was programmed with a majority of porn channels. Anything involving sex lately began to have an inverse effect on him lately. Especially when it didn't involve the only man he could find himself attracted to.

Helpless, all he could do was sit up in bed and wait at the mercy of slumber as it was free to come at any time it pleased.

He nearly jumped off of the bed when his phone buzzed on the night stand. He couldn't have cared less whom it was that wanted to talk to him, all he requested was that someone take his mind off of his seemingly endless quest for sleep as well as his worry for his mother's fate.

He didn't bother to see who it was.

"Hello?"

"_Hey"_

Naruto's low voice was the abyss as Gaara fell freely into it, letting the deep coolness engulf him. He struggled to find a reply.

"H-hi Naruto"

"_Sorry I didn't call back earlier, I was kind of in the middle of something"_

"Oh, don't worry about it. Besides you don't have to explain to me why you were cuddled up with a mob of groupies", he laughed.

_Naruto chuckled. "Groupies are for greedy men with Napoleon Complexes"_

"Ha!"

"_It's true"_

"But of course you don't have one of those", Gaara shot back sarcastically. "Mr. Car For Every Day of the Week"

"_I have only three cars and nothing to prove"_

"Whatever you say..."

"_You didn't sound so sure about me overcompensating the last time we made love"_

"I'll give you that one"

"_Actually you gave me three; one in the shower, one in my bed and one in my back seat"_

"Keeping tabs are we?"

"_Just thought I'd refresh your memory before you got out of line"_

"Don't make me laugh"

"_Talk big over the phone all you like, I'll just have to reassert my authority when I get back"_

"You may scare most but you certainly don't scare me"

"_Feisty tonight, I see"_

Gaara's laugh started a short pause in the flow of conversation.

"I was kind of surprised when you called, you usually don't call after a game"

"_I know, but I know you're going through a lot with the trial and I had to hear your voice"_

"That's sweet of you", Gaara said feeling weightless.

"_How are you holding up?"_

"Not too good. I can't sleep or eat", he sighed into a soft chuckle. "I feel like I'm losing my mind"

"_I wish I could be there with you"_

"I couldn't take you away from your job. It's the Super Bowl for goodness' sake. I'd never live down keeping you from that"

"_I know if my mother was facing murder charges, I wouldn't want to be alone either"_

"I know but-"

"_Listen, I'll take a Redeye to Baton Rouge and meet my team in Baltimore the day after the trial. It wouldn't be any trouble"_

"Naruto, that's more than any man's ever done for me"

"_I love you, Gaara"_

"I love you too Naruto", Gaara felt sleep finally slipping over him. "And that's why I won't let you do it"

"_Look I'm not playing any of this hard-ball shit this time Gaara. I'm coming down there whether you like it or not"_

"..."

"_Gaara?"_

"..."

All that could be heard over the phone was Gaara's steady and soft breath into the receiver. It was like music, beautiful music to Naruto's ears as he knew that perhaps in slumber that Gaara could find his arms. Perhaps they could see each other's faces in a dream; perhaps a dream was just what they need in the midst of the nightmare of being apart.

"_Goodnight, Gaara"_

* * *

><p>"<em>You're too late."<em>

That hauntingly brief warning replayed time and time again in Kushina's head as her right foot alternated from the accelerator to the brakes, the tall buildings of LA grew and faded as she passed them by. She'd agreed to meet Sakura at her office that morning to discuss the coming storm. She thought of it as a necessary precaution to meet her in person, as Sakura was the only person who'd believe her.

Since all of the photos and documents in the case file were copies, Minato burned the heavy stack in the bosom of their fireplace as soon as Kushina fell asleep. She found a small portion of the ashes sprinkled across their bed as a twisted decree of victory. He knew she'd show Naruto the file as soon as his plane touched down.

She was losing the race against time, for all she knew Charlotte could have gotten to Gaara already. She couldn't risk losing her credibility with Sakura, one of the only people left that were not trapped under Charlotte's stronghold of influence. It was as if the people that were dear to her were all trapped in a trance that was driven by the rhythmic licking of Charlotte's red soled pumps.

She parked her car in the garage and scurried off into the elevators. The man sweeping the floor in the concrete structure was baffled at her almost frantic speed as she flashed past him, her handbag and portfolio for her client flailing helplessly behind her.

She stood out from the moderately paced crowd as she rushed through the lobby and up to the front desk. The distracted older man's head snapped up to look at the frantic woman who was almost gasping for breath. His name struck her as odd for a man his age. _Gabriel M. _

His hair was nearly white and the years had not stood a chance against his face if he was in fact as old as he sounded. His eyes were as bright as afternoon sunshine as he looked at the tall woman across the counter who had found something in him that gave her probable cause to stare blankly at him.

She shook her attention from the man agelessly behind his time. "Hi, can you point me in the direction Ms. Haruno's office?"

He pointed to the rear of the large and round desk of several receptionists. "Just turn that corner and it's at the very end of the hallway near the exit", his voice was as warm as the sun in his eyes.

She thanked him profusely as he walked briskly walked down the hallway. Once she turned the corner she began to slow down and regain her composure. Her instincts as a mother and a woman living in a metropolitan city often clashed at times. Her inner feeling of panic was the last thing she wanted the younger woman to gather from her countenance.

She'd always taken a liking to Sakura as opposed to Sasuke. Sakura's feelings for Naruto bore a striking likeness to her own, whereas she cared for him so much that she made a living out of looking after him. She had to count on her now.

As youth the two would always get in loud shouting matches when she would alert Kushina when Naruto was up to some miscellaneous mischief. It was because of Sakura that guilt did not cloud Kushina's decision not to have a second child. He had more of a sister in her, by way of fate's connective powers, than he would have in a woman connected to him by nature.

She knocked on the door before Sakura bid the guest to open it. Her face lit up when she saw the tall woman walk through the door.

"Kushina! What brings you by?" she said giving her a hug over the desk. The older woman sighed as she sat into the chair behind her.

"Darling, I'm afraid there's trouble afoot", she struggled to find the right words to say. "It's about Gaara"

"Gaara? I thought I told Naruto to stop seeing him"

"You did what?!"

Sakura took off her glasses and looked Kushina in her eyes. "Look, Kushina, I know how Naruto feels about him, really I do, but he has an image to keep up, an image that is to be judged by standards that neither of us have to power to change. You know that"

"But Sakura it's bigger than that this time"

"What do you mean?"

She paused. "Eleven years ago, Karura murdered her husband but the charges were dropped and-"

"Now their hashing up the case again?" She said meekly finishing Kushina's appeal.

"Wha...How could you have known already?"

"Naruto told me on his yacht about two weeks ago"

"Did he tell you who had the case file?"

"Case file? You'd have to have connection in Louisiana's legal department to get your hands on something like that"

"I'm not sure which one but either Charlotte or Minato has that connection, I found the file in his safe yesterday", she said with an air of the night before. "He burned it before I could get it back"

Sakura placed a hand on her forehead. "I feared that this was going to happen", she said with a ghastly blankness about her face.

"We know now that Naruto didn't stop seeing him. This is Charlotte's doing. Minato's methods for getting what he wants are much less complicated"

"But why?!" Sakura got up from her seat and paced around the floor. "Why would either of them want to do this to someone they hardly even know?!"

Kushina's blank and stark gaze into the nothingness of helplessness was complimented by Sakura's rushing winds of question. "The answer is simple".

Sakura stopped pacing for a moment and looked at the expression of worry that had appeared on Kushina's face. It was more than evident that they were too late and could do nothing that would prove to be effective in rectifying the situation. Kushina was forced to adhere to Minato's premonition.

"When people like Charlotte and my husband want something, either for themselves or for someone they care about, they'll stoop as low as they can to get it", her voice was hardly louder than a whisper.

They were left to wait for the surprise that the beautiful femme fatale had in store for all of them.

"Damn"

* * *

><p>The clock on the wall was her tormentor.<p>

The ticking of her watch that she put on that morning was the bane of her very existence.

The tapping of her attorney's pen made her rue the day she hired him. _Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

The time that she had to wait made her wish she'd never left the safety and security of her mother's precious womb.

The coldness of the room where they were placed until the commencement of the trial made her wish that her husband never laid a finger on her or her child.

The muttering of the people walking past the room made her wish the man she used to be in love with never said those words that consequentially triggered in her an instinct that forced her to act.

Jacob S. Graham had seen his fair share of murder cases in his 22 years of both defending and prosecuting them. He was especially surprised when he was confronted with Karura's case whereas the new evidence seemed to come out of nowhere.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

She was still unaware of who it was that brought up the new means for prosecution. The only thing she was told was that it was the daughter of a man who grew up with Yondaime. This was still baffling, when after almost a decade of marriage she's never heard the ill-tempered man speak of any childhood companion.

It was all becoming irrelevant as the hour leading up to the trial passed by. All she wanted was her guarantee to freedom again and to be able to hold her only child again.

Graham permitted Meira to accompany her until it was time to go into the courtroom but much to her disagreement, Karura insisted on her not being present during the trial. The last thing she wanted to do was tamper with her sister's sensitive mental state.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

They'd gone over the defense as many times as needed and more. All they could do now was to wait.

It never occurred to her until then that the art of patience was a heavily sought after one even though few had the ability to use it. She was quite adept at keeping her sanity intact when the outcome of whatever she was waiting for was feasible to cope with, regardless of the outcome's direction.

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

At any rate, she could bare her attorney incessant tapping any longer

_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap._

"For goodness' sake, stop tapping that damned pen!"

Graham, embarrassed at his annoying behavior, decided to try and talk to her to ease the load on her mind. "Forgive me; I know you're on edge"

She sighed deeply before burying her face into her clammy hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you", she said as she looked up at him. "I'm just going crazy in this damned room"

"I try this with all my clients", he pulled his chair up to her and looked her in her tired eyes. "Just talk"

"About what?"

"Anything, what's on your mind?"

"My God, where do I begin?" She got up and started, at a slow pace at first, to walk back and fourth around the chair in which her intently listening lawyer sat. "I want to see my son"

"You'll see him soon enough"

"You don't understand, I don't want to see him on that witness stand again. I promised him I'd never put him through that again", she said wistfully. "I still remember the _first_ trial like it was yesterday"

She chuckled at the dark thought. "He used to be so terrified of crowds. I promised him I'd give him anything he wanted for the rest of his life if he'd do it for mommy"

Graham chortled at the thought of a 9 year old's eyes lighting up at such a prospect. "I'll bet that persuaded him well enough"

"Do you know after all of that was over, he didn't ask me for a single thing. He said all he'd ever want for the rest of his life was me", she said tearing up as she thought of the two of them walking hand and hand down the steep steps of the very same courthouse.

"You know something Graham, I have a track record for being good at waiting for outcomes to come along, no matter how long they take", she said with a turn of confidence.

"I'll never forget when I was pregnant with Gaara, I felt like I was going to be pregnant forever", she said through a short laugh. "He was late, almost too late, the doctor said"

"How did you feel when he was born?" Graham asked, growing more interested such a human story.

"Oh, it was the best feeling in the world. Better than anyone could make me feel, I felt like I was looking at what Heaven is supposed to look like, he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen"

"What's your son like?"

"Wonderful, that's what he's like. He's as smart as a whip, and good looking too", she laughed heartily. "The boys in LA didn't know what hit them"

"Boys?"

She shot the portly older man a dirty look. "Yes, _boys_. Is that a problem?"

"No no. I'm fine with it", he said quickly trying to abstain from becoming flustered. "Is he in college?"

"Well about a year ago we both left Bienville. He went to college in LA and I bought a house in Atlanta", she sighed. "It was what we both needed. I hated that town with a passion"

"LA? That's a big place for a 19 year old from a small town like Bienville"

"Oh, I was terrified for him. I had no clue what could happen to him. He'd been with me all of his life", she sighed. "I only wish I could see how he's doing now"

"I'm sure he's doing just fine"

"How can you be so sure?"

"He has a strong mother who has requested the legal assistance of yours truly", he said smiling at his implementation of self flattery. "I'm almost positive that he's holding up just fine"

"You're right"

"Besides, if he's as good looking as you say, should he have someone to...you know...confide in?"

"Trust me, Graham, when I tell you", she sat back down next to him. "You don't know the _half_ of it"

"Mind enlightening me?"

"I wish I could, but that's a story even I'm not allowed to tell, and its not even coming form my son's half of the deal"

"Why? Is he dating a celebrity or something?" He chortled at her carefulness of a seemingly overblown story of secrecy. Only, his eyes grew to the sizes of saucers when his secretive client failed to object to his outrageous conjecture.

"He is? Who?"

"I can't tell you. Besides, their not exactly together anymore, at least I think so"

"I thought you said you two were close"

"Are you insinuating that I was being dishonest?"

"No, I just thought that two people who were close would share that type of thing"

"It's complicated, I suppose. Besides, I'm not the type of mother whose sole purpose in life is to meddle in the love life of my child"

"I am...that type of father, I mean"

"You have children?"

"Three daughters"

"That must be fun"

"They're all teenagers now. Trust me; I liked it better when they were in cribs and shitting in their diapers"

The two exchanged a loud laugh as the hour seemed to go by with a bit more haste than before. Karura was skeptical about hiring a man that many in the field of law labeled as bumbling and incompetent. She always felt that what you could afford would always be good enough. The easing of pressure on her nerves made her more able to attest to that.

The Baton Rouge County Courthouse had recently been rebuilt in its recent years of operation due to problems that could no longer be overlooked by those in charge of it. The rise in crime didn't help matters much either and soon the city was forced to ask the state for an ample amount of money to make the much needed renovations.

The room in which the now more confident defendant and her legal representation sat was a new addition. The judge thought it necessary from a place to be built for those involved in the cases to wait, as an alternative of them walking the streets, returning late and throwing off the day's planned schedule, something that was often over looked.

From the outside it looked just as it had for all of the years that fates were decided inside of it. It was seen as an upright and duly respected institute of the community, one of the necessary pillars of every great civilization, a beacon of hope for all of those transgressed by injustice.

The stone and concrete exterior was washed over with lime scale, calcium, residue from decades of acid rain, and feces left behind by the birds that inhabited the Great Oak horizontally adjacent to the tall series of steps. The building's position atop so many stairs gave it the appearance of being much larger than it actually was. Many thought of it as a scare tactic for those contemplating breaking the law.

On the steps, an man wearing shades to protect his eyes from the oncoming sunlight sat talking on his cell phone as a red headed youth walked across the street to a larger café than before to eat, or perhaps just to sit and wallow in uncertainty and helplessness for the time being.

"He's going into the Moonlight Café directly across the street from the courthouse"

"_Perfect"_

Gaara walked into the nauseating scent of freshly ground coffee, tea cakes, pies and other desserts being prepared in the large and moderately populated eatery. He couldn't eat if he tried and even the thought of otherwise made him sicker still.

He took a seat at a table by himself and looked out of the window at the courthouse. It reminded him of all of the people and things in his life that made matters bigger and more foreign to him and his mother, tow people who sometimes seemed to lack a place to belong.

It was something he didn't like thinking about but he realized that he wasn't in much control of his feelings at the moment. He couldn't help but feel as if something that possessed the power to make his fears come alive was coming nearer and nearer. A slight trickle of adrenaline left his feet and hands in a frenzy of unrest. The sensation was indescribable.

It was as if someone had filled his system to the brim with caffeine, when in fact he didn't care too much for coffee at all. His palms began to sweat profusely, wiping them on his black pants proved to be futile.

Instead of disbanding, the feeling got worse. He was unable to decipher what it was that gave him such grief. The trial wasn't going to start for another hour and half. Soon he was gripping the plastic spoon so hard that he crushed it between his palm and knuckles.

At the precise moment when he thought that that he were about to explode, heads turned to the direction of a familiar woman who walked through the door. She was more beautiful than any woman most of the men there had ever seen. They stared as if she were from a foreign land, a land that had escaped the boundaries of Earth.

The sudden attack on his body seemed to be over as he tried his best to avoid her. He knew more than anyone there who she was. _What the fuck is she doing here?_

She turned to see him and looked back at the cashier. The man at the counter handed her a steaming cup of tea, the string dangled from the rim.

_Please don't see me, please don't see me. _

She walked over much to Gaara's dismay and tapped him on his shoulder. "Gaara?"

"Yes?" Gaara's turned to look at her with a pair of eyes as honest as he could put on.

"You may not remember me, I'm Charlotte; Naruto's wife"

"Of course, I went to you guys' wedding", he said with an uncomfortably heavy stomach as she walked around to the opposite side of the table.

"You mind if I join you?"

"Uh, no, not at all", he placed both of his hands in his lap. He tried to hide the shame, he tried to shield from her his once hot and passionately feverish body that her husband claimed as his own, he tried to hide from her the love they made, and the love they gave one another.

Her piercing hazel eyes shot rays of an other-worldly knowledge at him, making him squirm helplessly in his seat. _It's like she can see right through me. I can't sit here for much longer. What if she knows?_

His every fear and apprehension for sleeping with a married man had just been justified the very moment she walked into the café. Underneath his fervent love and passionate infatuation for Naruto, lied his fears of their erratic love affair catching up with him. She gave the shortest of pauses as she looked over her cup before speaking but those few moments passed all the more viscously in front of her stare. He'd have preferred her to toss the piping hot liquid onto him; would be but a cool breeze next to her eyes.

"So, how have you been?" She asked him over the brim of her tea again.

The personality of the question from someone he'd recently grown to fear gave his mind a shock. "Um, fine, I guess. Can't complain", he wanted more than anything for her not to know even the slightest detail about what was going to take place less than a hundred yards away.

"Really? Naruto tells me your mother has gotten into some sort of a legal trouble", she said with a dainty amount of concern in her voice. Watching his almost pale expression behind his feigned smile felt, to her, like admiring her own body of work.

Gaara hadn't achieved ample enough expertise in the area of experiencing new emotions for Naruto, especially when they were of disappointment and hurt. He never suspected her to know, much less for him to tell her. It was an emotion that made him feel childish, whereas he'd forgotten that she, much to his honest dislike, was still his wife.

"He told you?"

"Oh, my husband and I are very close", her voice seemed to be deafening as it was laced with a matrimonial joy of which Gaara began to feel like he'd never get to know. "Closer than ever now that our son is in his life".

It soon struck him that if she knew that they were still in a relationship that was settled at least at an altitude of communication, then...

"I'll be the first one to say that I know that a murder trial must be a most difficult time for you and your mother", her intense eyes failed to soften simultaneously with her words.

His stomach was in knots. "I guess he told you that part too, didn't he?" Gaara chuckled nervously.

"Yes, and my goodness what an incredibly uncomfortable situation", she said as her point of view faced adjacently to Gaara. His sea foam green eyes looked up to her, wondering what on Earth she could have meant. He wasn't quite certain as to what she knew and to what was she blind.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, that's the reason why I'm here", she said begrudgingly. "I'm a very close friend to the plaintiff. She said she just couldn't go into this alone". Gaara fidgeted in his seat. It amazed him sometimes how two people who really could do without seeing each other could end up being connected in the biggest of ways.

It was harder than he thought for him to be as violently put off by this discovery as he felt he should have been. The replaying images of he and Naruto making love that were once the soft plush that had broken many of his falls, were now a weapon being brandished in front of him by his very own conscience. His platform to stand up to her began to vanish beneath his feet.

Gaara pressed against the grain of his inner inhibitions. "Are you sure it's legal for us to be speaking with each other? That trial starts in a little over an hour"

"As long as we aren't discussing the case"

"Oh, well, I guess it is a little awkward when you think about it", he chuckled a little. "What's your friend's name?"

"Victoria Emerson, we've know each other for a very long time now", Charlotte sighed. "I guess even the strongest people would need a support system through all of this", her eyes suddenly locked onto the fragile youth sitting across from her.

Naruto's face appeared in his mind. Wherever he was, he couldn't have been wanted there more than then. Perchance if he were there he'd be able to shield him from his wife's puncturing, reckoning, stripping, disarraying eyes. For all he knew then, he could have aided her in destroying him softly.

"Kind of like the support system you have in my husband", with an emotionless expression, she bore into his very flesh with her pupils, searing away all of the precious and intangible things left there, all the way down to the whisperings of love when the moonlight was their only witness. He was both shamed and naked before her.

Gaara's head sank slightly as his sweaty hands clasped tightly together underneath the table. Their actions were his silent cry for salvation from the damning heat of Charlotte's eyes.

"I'm a lot of things, Gaara. I'm a wife, a mother, a daughter...", she went further down the short list. "But one thing I am not and pray that I'll never be, is a fool"

He still couldn't look at her face.

"You see, as long as Naruto is LA, I've become quite adept at knowing everything he does", she said flatly. "Including screwing you"

_Don't you dare cry you fucking sissy! Don't let her do this to you! They're just words._

"And I think its about time you learned something about men like Naruto", she said sliding Gaara's phone in front of her on the table as if it were, other than her stare, another instrument of torture. Gaara eyed it, wrapping himself in wondering what she was going to do with it.

"Men like my husband prey on men like you; young, inexperienced and willing to give them a taste of something new", she drew a circle on the table with her finger.

"Naruto needs a woman", she picked up his phone. She began to chuckle to herself, making Gaara's throat tighten in embarrassment.

Gaara lifted his head to object but the words refuted their command. "He told me he-"

"What? He told you he loved you?" She laughed out loud.

He wouldn't concur. His dignity wouldn't let him.

Her pitying laugh came to a graduated stop. "Listen, I'll do you a huge favor"

He looked up at her with tears shimmering at the brim of his eyes. His face was as hard as stone while his heart was running like the hot liquid in Charlotte's cup. He wanted more than anything to not be hearing those words erupting from her salacious red lips.

"Your mother can walk away from this a free woman and you'll never have to think or hear about any of this ever again"

"How can you do that?"

"All I have to do is convince Victoria to drop the charges and the judge will throw the appeal out of court..."

Gaara knew better than most that the biggest favors come at even bigger costs. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "What do I have to do?"

She leaned in closer. "Tell Naruto that you never want to see him again", she said with a haunting flippancy. Gaara shut his eyes tightly in a childish attempt to vie with reality. He desperately didn't want to see his mother being hauled away for what could be the rest of her life. Tears poured from his eyes.

She slid his phone in front of him. "What do you say?"

_I can't let my mother got to prison. _

Gaara swallowed hard and picked up his phone. His electronic journey to Naruto's number was a difficult one. He slowly and shakily raised the device up to his ear as he finally mustered the strength to look her in her confidant eyes.

With each ring, his heart rate increased.

"_Gaara?"_

"H-hey, Naruto", he said trying his best to stifle the urge to weep.

"_What's wrong?"_

"Oh, it's nothing; I just have a little cold"

"_You sure?"_

"Yeah", he assured looking directly at Charlotte as if to feed off of her stark energy to mutter something equally as stark. "There's something I have to tell you"

"_Gaara, you're scaring me", he said in a concerned tone. "What's going on? Is it about your mother?"_

"I've been doing some thinking and I don't think we can't go on like this", he forced himself to say, giving her a small look into a discussion held many times before.

"_...What are you trying to say, Gaara?"_

He drew a deep breath on the ledge's end. "I'm saying..."

"_..."_

Charlotte rested her chin delicately on the back of her hand. She looked slowly across the street to the erected building in which his mother waited and just as slowly back at him, wielding her power over the situation in front of him.

"_Gaara?"_

"I can't see you anymore"

Charlotte's eyes flared at him at his sudden change of wording but decided amongst herself that it would do just the same. She smiled softly.

"_Gaara, please don't do this. Just listen to me for a..."_

The sound of his voice trailed off as Gaara's trembling hand pulled the phone from his ear; blocking out all of Naruto's pleas for reasons, an explanation for the suddenness, a moment to convince him otherwise that all began to grow more and more silent until the red head eventually hung up.

He put the phone down on the table, his face was so blank and expressionless that it nearly shook Charlotte from her enjoyment that she'd been waiting to delve into for quite some time.

She got up from the table. "I'll let you have a moment alone"

As invisible as her crimes were to the people in the café, Charlotte walked away a murderer; a killer who left her victim with only the tears of a clown streaming down his face as the sole proof of the carnage. Gaara could no longer feel anything, for he was left to know not what to feel.

A few people looked at the sobbing youth but none reached out to him. Whatever was the source of his grief was beyond the bounds of effect that could be made by a few kind words or stranger's warm embrace.

* * *

><p>The crowd's roar, which could be heard even in the corner furthest to the back of the locker room, was more nauseating than encouraging as Naruto slowly let the phone drop from his ear. He'd called out to Gaara a few more time before he realized that he'd hung up already.<p>

The many different ways he could have taken their intricate relationship finally showed their faces, they taunted him, making his pain out to be a product of his own spinelessness, selfishness, and ultimate concern for his career. He couldn't figure out why the red headed youth would say such a thing.

His shock sprang mostly from the fact that they'd been nearly as close as reality and tangibility would allow in their intertwined dreams from which they awoke just hours before. He began to think over all of the things that Gaara had endured during the time that they had the knowledge of each other.

On account of the neighborhood in which he lived, he'd been shot at, assaulted, mugged, harassed and robbed after his apartment was broken into. He'd had to endure a colorful barrage of epithets that were synonymous with 'tramp' at the mouths of various people, most of them being Naruto's own friends and family. And after he blindly relinquished his virginity, only to receive a tired old ultimatum of love in secrecy because of his career, his mother was being tried for the murder of his father.

Naruto rested his elbows on his knees and rested his forehead in his hand. He felt ashamed but wasn't sure if he should have been. After all, many of Gaara's misfortunes were directly related to the place where he lived and the snobbery of those around Naruto. Almost none of them had been caused by anything he'd done.

Perhaps it was because he made a bad situation worse. Perhaps it was because he'd swept a stray from the wrong side of the road up into the air, giving him a look at a better life only to hold it back from him because he was never supposed to be there in the first place.

He'd never expected the things that happened to occur.

Naruto was finally becoming content without Charlotte in his life. Being away from her gave him the air to breathe in what was supposed to be who he really was, beneath the processed cover of fame. When his son had come into his life it brought back all of the reason's why he fell in love with her years before.

He admired her ability to rear a child on her own for five years. And more than anything it burdened him with the crushing guilt that came from his ignorance of their son's very existence. He's missed out on so many things in the child's life, his first birthday, his first words, his first steps, his first day of kindergarten...

The small boy had not only gained Naruto's love and fondness, he'd become his first priority, as he felt every child should be in the eyes of their father. He resembled him so much, his hair, his eyes, his mouth, and especially his early interest in athleticism.

Naruto had always longed for a family, and his past feelings for Charlotte were overwhelmingly supplemented by their, although unintentional, bringing of a new life into the world; something that Gaara could never give him. His thoughts on what had just happened began to rotate their pointed edge closer and closer still to the direction of Gaara.

_He must have known that my son had to come before him. That's my own flesh and blood. He was my son before he even moved to LA. _

He lifted his head and looked ahead with an expression that slowly began to morph into one of frustration. The blonde haired man's desire to defend the red head against all opposition began to slip through the cracks of the will in his heart like sand through the narrow passageway of an hourglass.

It added insult to injury to drop such a heavy load after he nearly risked missing a game just to offer comfort during a difficult time. Gaara's selfless and proud character began to change into a mangled mess of a character, mixed with the bitterness for what happened to him and the demand for things to go his way.

_I risked everything just to be _seen_ with him and this is the thanks I get? _

He immediately rid himself of any guilt that was left from all of the things that'd happened to Gaara in the past year. A kid in a city too big for him was what he's become in Naruto's mind. Looking back was still hard to do. He couldn't go back into the days when he felt like he was going crazy over Gaara, for it was too easy to reach the point of no return.

Just as it occurred to him that he might be jumping to conclusions about the suddenness of Gaara's call, especially when it came only a short while before a potentially life shattering trial was about to take place, Sasuke walked in on his moment of sensibility.

"What the fuck are you doing all the way back here, we're about to huddle up", he said with an electrified sense of urgency. He seemed to be charged by the energy from the crowd that flooded into the locker room in the form of the sound of wild cheering. Naruto decided to connect to the supply.

He smirked before getting up to join the rest of the team. Gaara's face could finally take the back seat in his mind during what, above all other things in his life, was what he loved to do, what he was the best at, what gave him his identity, what he'd never let anyone have and what he'd never give up for anyone.

The feeling of unmitigated and uninhibited relief was a feeling that many women, who lived a life similar to Karura's, almost never experienced. The lifting of a heavy burdens and the clearing of ominous clouds of potentially bleak storms came few and far between when there was nothing that they could do to change the mind of chance.

In the Gallery were many people related to or apart of the business class of Louisiana and a few drinking buddies of Yondaime, still disgruntled about their friend's death and angry at his widow.

Gaara waited in the room across the hall from the courtroom where the witnesses were supposed to sit. Karura had only seen him once that entire day; to see him plead his mother's innocence on the witness stand. He felt it necessary to do as he was told by Graham in order to keep his secret trade hidden from her knowledge.

The people in the gallery were mostly the socialites of Bienville, many of whom were in support of Karura's incarceration. Women in her home town were taught to submit completely to their husbands, much less end their lives behind the trailing smoke of a handgun.

Bienville, Louisiana was a small town that lagged stubbornly behind every societal change that occurred in the country; the women's liberation movement being one of them.

From birth, in the small community, girls were raised to be married. Their mother's trained them, with sometimes a cold firmness, to both attract the appropriate man to spend her life with and coordinate a family with grace and gentility just as her mother told her to. The husband was the presumed head of the household and his wife was expected to revere and respect him more so than she was to love him. Her rearing of the children and upkeep of the house were to be her only occupation and any suggestion otherwise was outside corruption.

Karura and Meira's mother was one of those women. Dorothea Ann Sebaku was raised in one of the most conservative households in Bienville. She was a strict and religious woman and never so much as dipped her dainty finger into anything that remotely resembled women's rights. Karura would always be able to recall her frequently saying, 'if a man wants to be chivalrous, let him, that's the way things ought to be'. She met the girls' father at a town cotillion; the grand stage for all of the town's daughters to show off all of the standards of femininity and gentility that their mother taught them. Needless to say, Dorothea wanted her daughters to be raised to meet the same standards.

Karura complied with little coercion, but it was Meira who just didn't seem to catch on to the scheme of how things worked in their small town. One minute she was weeping inconsolably, the next she was dancing around the house, kissing her family and telling everyone how dear they were to her.

Ulysses Sebaku was a tall and authoritative man who believed in very few things, one of them being that psychologists were nothing more than liberal thieves with office space. It was his and Dorothea's first argument and the first time she'd every challenged a man's final decision. Karura and her sister watched that night as their mother ran out of the master bedroom with a bleeding upper lip.

Psychiatry was something neither commonly practiced nor spoken highly of in Bienville, leaving Dorothea with a choice. Meira's mood swings were growing more frequent by the passing of each month. She knew she couldn't count on her husband to see the problem with his own eyes when he wasn't home for large portions of each day. She couldn't lie to him. After their first argument he'd never believe her.

Feeling trapped between her love for her daughter and the fear of her irascible husband, she made her decision.

She waited until the middle of the night, piled her two girls in a cab that she called, and drove to New Orleans. She figured that the violent reaction from her husband when they returned would be the price that she had to pay for her daughter to receive a meager two-hour session with one of the city's most reputable psychiatrists.

Dorothea soon found out that Meira was bipolar. She'd never heard of such an adjective before. The psychiatrist spoke with Dorothea as Meira sat talking with her twin sister on the other side of a blacked out glass window. She initially thought it was because of something she'd done wrong, perhaps during the nine months that she carried the girls, an answer that was usually right in the norm of her life. But she was given an unusual and refreshing feeling when the professional assured her that there was nothing that she or anyone else could have done to bring about her daughter's condition.

The twin sisters became another version of a big sister and a younger one. After finding out, even at the age of 10, Karura felt it to be her responsibility to look after her sister at all costs. It was the most beautiful thing Dorothea had ever seen. The doctor wrote Meira a prescription and the three returned home.

Their connection of love was soon interrupted when they returned home to find Ulysses standing in the driveway.

Karura never would forget that day. She'd never seen a man be so cruel to another human being. She and her sister tried screaming but it only mad him angrier. They tried to physically stop him but he was too strong. They would later find out that he was miserably drunk, when Meira knocked him unconscious with a nearby two-by-four only for him to wake up wondering why his wife looked as if she was attacked by a wild animal.

When his drinking got out of control, seven years after Meira's diagnosis, both Ulysses' liver and kidneys failed and he died shortly after. He was only 39.

As only a 35 year old widow with two eighteen year old daughters, no job skills and a failing heart; there was only one way to make things easier for the three of them.

The time for the town cotillion had arrived and it was filled with young girls and young boys dancing, eating and exchanging trained conversation. It was there that a young and aspiring businessman named Yondaime Kazekage was the man every girl had her eyes on. However when a girl with long wavy hair and a captivating pair of sea foam green eyes walked in, he was immediately smitten with her.

Dorothea thought her world was going to end when her mother died on the eve of her wedding day. She refused to marry Yondaime for an entire year before she finally gave into his persistence. They were married when he was twenty and she was nineteen.

Karura adored him as he did her. She was still reeling from her parents' tumultuous marriage and knew in her heart that she never would have to experience the terrible things her mother did, she was the most loved wife in the south. Yondaime did everything with her and for her.

Their cloudlike marriage took an abrupt turn when, like her father, Yondaime picked up his first bottle of whiskey.

Alcohol, to Karura, had become nothing more than a dreadful and vilifying elixir. It was the cause of all of her nightmares of her mother at the mercy of her drunken father. She felt that the world would have more than a moment's peace if every brewery on the face of the planet was dried up, never to export the vile poison again.

Much to her dismay, his first bottle was not the last.

There was a beacon of hope when she came to him one day and told him that she was with child. Seeing her, and knowing that their child was growing and developing within her womb, he swore to her that he would never know the bitter taste of alcohol for as long as he lived.

Gaara was born to the young couple during the freshness of January and Karura would swear to anyone that the two of them were inseparable. As an ode to her mother Yondaime allowed Karura to give Gaara his mother's last name.

Soon after the small red headed baby with his mother's eyes began to walk, Yondaime's business profits began to take a nose dive. It was then that he picked up alcohol once again. Karura was worried about his health until he struck her the first time. She was taken aback as was he, he felt as if he'd committed homicide.

He apologized profusely. Only, as it recurred and his guilt for doing so decreased, he began to turn his frustrations onto his frightened red-headed child. He would often scream and swear at him, telling him how much he hated his loudly colored hair, and accuse him of belonging to another man.

After an extremely heated argument one fateful night, she too made a choice just as her mother did when she was a child.

She thought over that night as the elderly judge shouted at the plaintiff, "Mrs. Emerson, I sure hope you have good reason for wasting my time!" He banged the wooden gavel on its post as the room got off of their seats and Karura embraced her lawyer. They were both surprised and relieved that a drawn out trial wouldn't be necessary again. She immediately broke for the witnesses' room to find her son wiping his eyes in the chair next to the table.

"I'm free!" She shouted as he got up and ran into her arms. Her warm tears of joy mixed with his from a different volition. He could never let her find out.

He looked at her. "I'm so glad, I don't have to lose you", they embraced one another as they walked out to the outside of the courtroom. There were people walking out of the courtroom and scowling at the defendant. Karura couldn't be bothered with them, she found peace in the fact that she would never have to fall victim to their disapproving looks anymore. Another dark haired woman and the plaintiff were about to walk out of the door.

Karura's voice talking to Graham was drowned out by the silent smirk of Charlotte. She winked atop a sly smile before disappearing out of the double doors. His throat began to tighten again. The fine details of his surroundings began to lose their clarity. He'd forgotten that he neglected to eat in nearly the past seventy-two hours. He suddenly found it hard to hold his head up.

"Gaara? What's the matter, sweetheart?"

He smiled at her. "Oh its nothing. I guess I was so worried, I forgot to eat something"

* * *

><p>Words could not describe the immense feeling of misshapenness of the way things were playing out that Kushina felt by the time she'd returned home from the wedding she'd put nearly all of her time into planning.<p>

There was hardly any urgency in her to get home right away, despite how much her feet hurt from standing for such a long time. Oddly enough, her erratic client neglected to include the wedding planner in the seating arrangements, forcing Kushina to stand in the kitchen and speak quite candidly with one of the cooks.

To her, at the moment, home meant facing Minato's smug face, silently telling her that he knew he was right and that she soon would see the benefits of his and Charlotte's plan appear in due time. She hoped he would be out on another escapade for the evening, a feeling that was fresh even after all of the things that had happened.

She soon left Sakura's office. There was nothing that either of them could do to stop Charlotte's defense-toppling plan. She returned to her client and waited through the wedding in an attempt to drown out the sound of severing ties with the admiration of her own hard work that went into the couple's wedding.

However the couple's bliss only reminded her of what was to come for her son. She knew that he'd never be truly happy with the woman he wed and her knowledge of this was not affected by her general dislike for Charlotte. Regardless of her intentions to 'save' their marriage, she would never rest knowing that her son was married to someone as conniving as her.

What she saw in Gaara was something that made Naruto smile from the inside to his outward air. She was frightened when first seeing them together, for she herself couldn't see what life would be like for the both of them if they were apart. Gaara was something that he didn't have, and something that he would never have without him.

Kushina tried her best to think with her son's career in mind. But it just didn't seem ethical to choose money, power and image over love; especially a love that was worth far more than money could pay for. As a classic romantic she'd give anything for there to be some sort of poetic justice in her life and the lives of those around her. It made life beautiful to her.

She feared that this would keep her up all night.

It was inconceivable to her, how two people could be so incredibly enticed by the perception of the public that they would go so far as to puppeteer the haunting past of an innocent woman and her son to the music of their own gain. It gave her chills, especially because not only was she married to one of the puppeteers, so was her unsuspecting son.

Perhaps what hurt the most was the small smile that crept across Minato's lips when he made the decree that Naruto would never believe her if she told him what happened. Sakura couldn't be deemed trustworthy both when the both of them seemed to have an immovably entrenched dislike toward Charlotte and have had it since the marriage ceremony commenced. He would most likely accuse them of lying to get what they wanted out of his love life.

Of course by now, she knew that the damage had been done.

Naruto, most likely shocked and hurt by Gaara abruptly cutting ties with him, he was probably angry at both Gaara and the identity underneath the layers of conformity that he knew was real. He was probably more smitten than ever with both the life that had been chosen for him and the family that came to be by way of lies, blackmail and manipulation. His crushing decision to make had already been made for him and he was more than happy to comply with the verdict. There was nothing else that she could say to change his mind.

She pulled in to the two-floor car garage and stared at her steering wheel. She sighed deeply, as if to exhale all of her failures in the name of true love and romance.

As she got out of the car and reached across the console to grab her purse from the floor, the intricately jeweled broach on her bosom reflected the light originating from the automatic garage lights onto the black dashboard. It bore a striking resemblance to a mother and a child. She shook her head thinking that perhaps she was thinking too much about her son.

Much to her dismay Minato's white sports car was parked in front of her. She didn't quite notice on account of the white wall in the large vehicular storage room. When the house was built Minato said that the white color of the walls was a good way to showcase the many extravagant vehicles he planned to out in it. She never cared for any of the eight cars in the garage. Cars to her were only means of transportation and simply nothing else.

Walking in the house, she could smell the almost minty scent of Minato's favorite brand of scotch. She hated when he drank, talkativeness seemed to be the only effect. She walked into the first den and saw him on the sofa with his feet up on the rest, his drink in his hand, and a thick novel in his hand.

"You're home late", he said from behind the pages.

"I didn't really see a reason to make haste", she said sharply as she put her keys in the bowl and made her way to the hallway. His voice stopped her before she could go upstairs and seclude herself in their bedroom.

"Wait, come here for a moment"

Her sigh was less audible than before. Kushina walked over to the arm of the leather chair and stood with her arms folded.

"What is it?"

He took his glasses off and placed the novel next to him before grasping her hand. "Look I know this is a lot to take in but I don't want this to come in between us"

She looked at him in disbelief. "Is that right?" She retrieved her captured hand. "You've destroyed the best thing that ever happened to him and you don't want it to come in between us?"

Minato laughed out loud.

"And just what is so damned funny?"

"What's funny is the fact that you think that some red headed bayou boy is the best thing that ever happened to our son!"

"No, a loving and healthy relationship was the best thing that ever happened to him"

"A relationship? Is that what you think they had?"

"I know it to be a fact"

"Look, don't you doubt for one moment that Naruto was acting out on some little urge from when he was younger. No son of mine is-"

"What? Gay? Is that what you're so fucking afraid of saying?!"

"Well, he isn't"

"And how can you be so sure after all you did was tried to drown him in that macho crap when he was a teenager!"

"I was showing him how to be a man!"

"You were showing him how to be a bigot!"

"If wanting my son to know who and who not to associate himself with makes me a bigot, then so be it!"

Kushina sighed as she sat down next to her husband. She was indifferent to her husband's opinions when she walked through the door but suddenly she had a drive to show him how destructive and ultimately detrimental they were to t he situation.

"Do you remember the day we first met him?"

"Met whom?"

"Who the hell do you think? Gaara!"

"Kushina, you're wasting your time. My mind is made-"

"For once in your life, can you just listen to me", she slowly pleaded with him, with a faintly trembling voice. Minato's sigh was her only signal to continue. She felt as if a door was being opened slightly, a door that could be shut instantly with the wrong diction.

Minato rested his elbow on the back of the sofa, facing his wife. "Yes, I remember that day"

"When you uttered even the slightest hint of an insult, Naruto nearly leaped across the table", she said almost jokingly. "You know better than I, that he'd never cross you even if it meant his life"

Minato was silent.

"As for me, I'd never seen my son that happy in his life", she said wistfully. "I talked to him on the phone a few weeks after they came over. He was about to leave for a game. Do you know what he said to me?"

"What?"

She looked up at him. "He said, 'I'll never ask another thing from my father if he grants me the understanding that I'm in love with Gaara'". Kushina got up from her seat and leaned close to Minato's face.

"You think about that when your little plan comes to fruition", she walked past him and into the hallway.

Minato's mind, that was adept at placing things after they were received, didn't quite know where to place what his wife had just told him. All of his plans for Naruto that were once nothing short of sterling were now shiftless theories and opinions floating about his conscious mind.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

_The rain over the high school football field poured mercilessly on two men, one young, one older._

_All of the other boys had already gone home with their parents or their girlfriends, but as for Naruto, this was no excuse to stall for another day. That day's accomplishments couldn't wait in the eyes of his father. And if they did in fact wait, the next day would be brutal. _

_The booming thunder from the sky nearly compared to Minato's booming voice from the sideline._

_The older man shouted commands out at the boy in his late teens as he pushed against his desire to stop. His muscles ached from training nearly since the moment the sun came up. He wouldn't dare accuse his father of wanting this more than he did. _

_Naruto knew that all of this would pay off when he was a star. He knew that all of this pain would pay off when he breezed through the draft when coaches were begging for him to play on their team. The women, the money, the cars, the houses, the endorsements, the Super Bowl..._

_They all fueled him._

_The rafters were weeping as water gushed from the steps of the empty stands. _

_Naruto collapsed on his knees after running through the moving targets on the field. He slammed his fists onto the wet turf, splashing water around him._

"_Get the fuck up!" Minato ran from his standing position on the sidelines. He grabbed Naruto by his shoulders and lifted him up to eye level. "Look at me!"_

_Naruto grit his teeth and looked his father in his eyes. He would need far more than his own passion for the game to push further now. _

"_Don't you dare give up! You've worked too fucking hard to wimp out on me like this!"_

"_We've been out here for hours! I can't-"_

"_What?" His voice grew dangerously low. "What the fuck did you just say?!"_

_Naruto screamed in his father's face. "I can't do this!"_

"_Don't you dare feed me that bullshit you goddamn pussy!" The rain increased in intensity. Their faces clothes and shoes were drenched in water. Naruto sputtered water out of his mouth. Passers by pitied the teen as he struggled to his feet in the pouring rain._

_Minato would risk getting cursed out by Kushina later for making their son train under one of the worst rain showers all year. According to him, training could wait for no one, and nothing. _

"_Get your ass back out there now!"_

_Naruto let out a frustrated roar and lifted himself to his feet and kept running. He knew he had to keep going for all of those things to come to be._

_That had to be true, his father said was true. _

_He seemed to have more energy after his father scolded him _

The last win seemed to lack its richness in adrenaline the last time around. Naruto figured that it was only natural to feel a bit off when being dumped, something that he'd never experienced. He felt like he was experiencing far too many emotions lately. He thought back on what his father used to tell him.

_Emotions are for women and faggots. They'll bring you to your knees if you let them. Keep your eyes on the prize. _

He was more than used to being the person in whatever relationship that held the power to end it or extend its life.

The prize was indeed near; the Super Bowl was only two games away and yet Naruto couldn't feel the excitement that was promised to him by all of those around him growing up and in adulthood. They all said that he'd feel like he was on top of the world. It all felt like lies to him at the moment.

He'd settled in his hotel already and laid down to sleep. The guys had all went out to the strip joints. His early turning in had nothing to do with the flight leaving the next morning but more so with the fact that women in lingerie couldn't satisfy him, at least not then. He tried blaming it on missing his wife but he couldn't quite say that Charlotte was as attractive as many told him.

It was a foul thing to think about a woman who would be loved by many men but it just wouldn't leave him alone.

The state of being a father was far more attractive to him; he loved Naruto Jr. perhaps even more than he loved Charlotte. He always feared that if he married her because of he child that a great disparity would grow between his individual love for the both of them.

Above all, he just couldn't bring himself to fall back into his deep love for Gaara. How could he? He called him out of the blue and ended everything. Everything wasn't to his liking, but they had love.

He began to think of the possibility of leaving Charlotte for Gaara. Could he do it? He would have to risk losing all of his endorsements, risk being dropped from his contract and not drafted for the next season, his father and most of his family would never speak to him again, and he would be made into a laughing stock in the masculine world of football. Even after losing all of his money he would still have to support his son. And after all of that have only Gaara to show for it.

Many would say the decision would was an easy one, but Naruto couldn't quite picture it that way. The decision meant so much more because he secretly still loved Gaara, he just couldn't figure out why he would end it after all they'd been through. Gaara had never been the type to change his mind. Unless...

He knew that the red head was notorious for doing things that he didn't want to do but had to do. The possibility that Gaara ended it all because he was afraid to tarnish Naruto's already busy life frightened him more than words could describe. He'd already thought so many horrid thoughts of filthy accusation about him. It would hurt him just the same if any of them contained any truth.

There would be no point in calling him now. His tone on the phone was finite enough to tell even the most stubborn lover not to call back. There wouldn't be love strong enough to break him free of this decision this time, Naruto was afraid.

His chest was bare and he lay clad in his boxers on bed as the room was only lit by the lights from the city below. It was times like this that he was see more fit than ever to call him, the fact that he couldn't drove him mad. He already missed Gaara's silky alto voice. Music was all he could hear when Gaara would speak, sensual and arousing music. He was free to let his mind roam over Gaara's body as did his hands when they made love, even when simply five hours earlier he felt like Gaara had slapped him across the face.

The feeling of his lover's touch, the arching of his back, the way Gaara would shiver when he was in too deep, the listless and dazed way he would repeat Naruto's name, their bodies together, he couldn't take much more of being away from the red head, but was it too late?

He thought back to the moment when Gaara jumped a little after Naruto came up behind him in the kitchen, after he wrapped his arms around Gaara's smaller frame. He felt like he could fight off anyone and anything to make sure that his days were brighter.

Naruto couldn't help but feel as if the story was finished unfolding. But his only blind spot, potentially due to his own intention, was in the actions of the woman he'd pledged to be with for richer or for poor.

His phone rang. Naruto nearly jumped out of the soft hotel bed. _Is it him...?_

It was Charlotte.

He felt guilty for how disappointed he was.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, baby"_

"Hey...babe", the words stung.

"_You sound surprised"_

"I am a little surprised; you don't usually call when I'm out of town"

"_Never too late to start, right?"_

"Yeah, you're right, I'm sorry"

"_Its ok, I know you're probably stressed out, with the Super Bowl coming up close"_

"Yeah, it's getting pretty close", he said feeling the conversation about to start going nowhere. "So what did you do all today?"

"_I had some errands to run", she said pulling the shade over the airplane window next to her seat. "Nothing too important_"

"Oh...ok"

"_..."_

"Hey, is NJ around? Put him on the phone"

"_Oh, no I just got him to sleep, but I'll get him on the phone in the morning"_

"Oh, come on, just for a little while"

"_Naruto, I just put him to sleep, you can talk to him tomorrow", she snapped, only holding back the sharpness of her voice at the end of the statement. _

"Alright, I'm sorry"

"_No, no, I didn't mean to snap at you"_

"..."

"_...N-"_

"Look, Charlotte, I'm beat after today. I'll call you tomorrow"

"_Ok"_

"I love you"

"_Goodnight"_

Naruto took the phone away from his ears and placed it on the night stand. Sleep came over him as the tiredness of his body, coupled with that of his mind tranquilized him in the softest way. He wished more then than the night before to be with Gaara in dreams. Sleep and honey-sweet dreams seemed to be the only place to escape the dividing barrier that parted them. He had to escape their judgment and their eyes. The people who paid to see him seemed to be his worst enemies as he closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Another phone conversation ensued as Charlotte walked to her car from the airport. She dropped her phone momentarily on the ground and found it to be ringing again after the first time.<p>

"Hello?"

"_Charlotte?"_

"Ember, I told you not to call me."

"_I'm sorry but we need to talk"_

"There is nothing else for us to speak about; the deal has already been made"

"_I can't go through with this"_

"What do you mean you can do this, I've already paid you ample enough money"

"_I don't give a damn about your money; you can have it all back. I want my son back"_

"We're not going through this again. You'll get your son back in a year like we planned"

"_I'm not about to let you fake my toddler's death!"_

"You're not getting him back until everything is over"

"_I swear if you don't give me back my child I'll-"_

"You'll what? Call the police?"

"_..."_

"Because if my memory serves me correctly, it was me who pulled the strings to get those prostitution charges expunged from your record to keep CPS from taking him away from you in the first place"

_The woman could be heard breathing into a soft sob._

"Now, I can bring them back just as easily, is that what you want?"

_Her voice trembled. "No"._

"I thought you'd say that. Now, we will continue as we we're. In a year, he will die in a car accident, his body will too deformed for his father to bare, and after his funeral, you can have your precious Jonathan back", Charlotte said within the confines of her car. She looked around at the other people returning to their vehicles as paranoia began to set in. Any moment, with any glance, her palns could finally be brought into the light. She knew that there were people just like her in her world.

"_Please, I can't do this to him. He's just a boy; this is too much for him to understand right now"_

"Rest to sure, I won't harm a hair on his little head", the dark haired woman reassured.

"_If I may ask, why would you want to do this? Why?"_

"Because, I'm a woman of substance, I need and deserve to have man who can give me the finer things in life. This is the only way to keep things in order. This will solidify our marriage; I will be his sole source of comfort when he finds out", her intentions seemed to roll off of her tongue despite her suspiciousness of the people around her.

"_You're an evil woman", she said through tears._

"Goodbye, Ember"

Charlotte hung up the phone and began driving out of LAX's parking lot. She noticed about halfway home that her phone's screen was still illuminated. Her stomach immediately dropped, something must have happened when she'd dropped her phone because there was still a line connected to her phone.

Someone had heard her entire conversation.


	10. tues

_The beauty of colors, the way they present themselves in the life of a girl, they spin round and round until she's had enough of the games that people play. But the colors always stay true to her, even in sickness. They comfort her after men have abandoned her, after her sordid occupation brings her to her knees at the end of the gruelingly long day. They are her eyes, her hair, and the color of her heart, brown, brown and red._

_A woman, with a tumultuous life trailing tauntingly behind her, moaned helplessly as she was wheeled quickly into the delivery room. The care given to her by the professionals soothing her from above was foreign but she couldn't do without it. _

_The immense pain coursing through the lower half of her body, coupled with the passing of the bright lights above her made her feel as if someone was out to get her. The bumpiness of the ride to the room made her feel like the things she'd done to make ends meet were finally catching up to her. Despite all of her pain, the pity she held for her unborn child was far greater than that which she held for her self. _

_After that day her pain would be gone, but the father of her child would still be a john, a married professor with children in their twenties who wanted nothing to do with neither the baby nor her. She felt guilty, atop of her physical woes, for bringing a child into the world only for him to live in a shanty apartment with two other women and to be raised by an exotic dancer and an escort._

_The nine months that she spent carrying the child were almost as painful as it felt to conceive him. The professor was a brutish man with an irregularly shaped penis. She tried offering him fellatio but he forcefully chose the latter. The night was a pesky nuisance that came to her at the most inopportune of times._

_She wished that she could be as adept at putting it behind her as her counterparts but it was a deficiency that she had; very few things escaped the needle's eye that was her memory. The things that passed her by through her life made a deep imprint into her mind, even the things that she wanted to forget. Fortunately, she always seemed to remember the good times with more vividness than the bad._

_She called the unsuspecting professor using the number he'd given her to inform him of the prospect of him having a son. She knew he would be less than elated at best but she didn't expect to be burned by such hateful and corrosive speech as she was when she said the words to him. She'd never heard a man sound that angry in her entire life. He screamed at her, calling her a lying and hateful slut. She'd been called worse, but the fact that he was a counterpart in the creation of the child she was to soon give birth to made the blow all the more sharp._

_He'd already informed her that he was happily married. The brown haired woman couldn't care less, as long as she could close her eyes until it was over. The image of him over her made her sick to her stomach hours later when she returned to the safety of her home. _

_They finally got into the delivery room and began administering drugs to ease the pain of labor. Somehow she found the time to worry about how she was going to pay for all of the expensive sedatives being pumped into her bloodstream. The good feelings that they brought seemed to ease her thoughts a bit, however. The things that led up to her current situation began to televise in her head as she began to lose feeling in her lower body. _

_Her carriage was disrupted when the doctor informed her that her that she had an abnormally small uterus. The baby would most likely come earlier than expected before the room in her womb ran out. The prospect added fear of pain to the pregnant twenty year-old mother's list of things to feel as she walked through her day. The doctors informed her of pain-reducing methods that would be at her disposal when the child was ready to be born but the entire situation held fast to its harrowing appearance. _

_The birth occurred and she could scarcely convince herself of the actuality of doctor's words. There was an immense feeling of being filled rather than being emptied. She knew for a fact that there would be great struggle in raising her child alone, but strangely not for the reasons that were obvious to her and her surroundings. The delivering physician at hand handed the nearly silent child to his mother; he looked up at her with a begging look in his eyes as he reached up for her, as if to plead with her never to depart from his tiny grasp. She cried softly as he small child silent child cooed and clamored for her._

_After the baby was taken from her arms, she was overcome with an immense guilt for breaking their silent pact. The ordeal drained her of all energy to stay awake and an in an ageless sleep she found repose. _

_Her afflictions appeared to her in the manifestation of a dream. _

_There was a house nestled in between a small abandoned gas station and a bail bonds office. She walked into the house to see a room with floor in the shape of an oval pointed at both ends. The floor was covered in a dark liquid and littered with thorned roses that continued to rain from an invisible source. She saw the most peculiar looking young man. His body was barren of clothing with the exception of a shredded latex condom wrapped around his left upper thigh. His hair was a blunt red, all but bringing shame to a fire. She'd never forget his hair as, in name, the color held a likeness to her own name, Ember._

_He was crying next to a sleeping dog, they complimented each other. The Canine's slumber seemed to comfort the man in the most subtle of ways. He looked up at her and reached out to her. She felt like there was something about him that she could feel inside herself. They had something in common that reached past the bounds of the welts that society left on their backs. What they shared was deeper than the wounds that were left by the people who cast them off as filth._

_She asked him for his name._

_He opened his mouth to answer her and before he could make a sound she began to regain consciousness. She wanted to go back, if even for a moment to find out his name. Perhaps he wasn't trapped in her head. Perhaps he led a real life and perhaps the strokes of chance could bring them together so they could have a conversation about life, love, relationships, men, women, sex, money, society, hard times..._

_Soon she was dizzily staring at the window and its picture of the night sky; she awoke with her head turned to the side. A voluptuous woman in scrubs came in carrying a bundle wrapped in a baby blue blanket. The child could be heard cooing from across the room. _

_Ember sat up as best she could, the drugs were still wearing off. _

_The nurse placed in her hands a newborn boy. Ember cried until her tears reached her breast. He was smaller than she expected and it scared her, but more than anything she was happy that he was alive and that he was hers. She felt like there was an infinite amount of things that he could accomplish, things that she could only dream about. She wanted him to be apart of something greater._

_She wanted him to be somebody._

_She wanted him to belong to no one but himself._

_She wanted him to be pure and not wanton_

_She wanted him to owe nothing to anyone_

_She named him Jonathan Salazar._

* * *

><p><em>She had to give him up because the filth was at her neck for something she had no control over, something from her past, something she was forced to do. A woman, from out of the ground it seemed, reached up and restrained her by the reins of her afflictions and forced her to give up her child. She had no idea who she was or what her motives were until later. She dreaded the very thought of having to see her child from behind the cold walls of jail.<em>

_Her peculiar predicament made her hate the child's father, more so than she'd hated anyone in her entire life. He was her enemy and as was the wealthy woman using her criminal record as a weapon of blackmail. _ _

On the day that Naruto was put into the arms of his father as a newborn baby, the tall man in his early thirties looked into the face of the wriggling infant in his arms with hopes that matched that of many other parent in his position, holding a fresh and new life, a life free of blemish and error, a life as blameless as nature.

The prospects of what was to come for the child as he grew to be a man were so exciting that Minato didn't want to tear his vision away form the softly whimpering boy's face.

In that very moment, he could imagine Naruto breezing through school because of his advanced learning skills. His personality would make even so much as his presence a blessing to those who were fortunate to have a simple conversation with him. He would have talent in whatever area he chose to pursue. He would have enough charm to make women weak and men green with envy. His looks would snatch the eye of all who saw him. His social grace would be flawless.

Perfection was such a high expectation for a son who was still taking in his first breaths of the world's unforgiving air. But he secretly would have nothing less than the sort. He would tell no one that he wouldn't rest until he saw his son turn out.

While Kushina and the governess did most of the physical duties associated with parenthood, Minato pondered over in his head just what was going to be the boy's area of expertise. He knew that Naruto wouldn't excel in anything other than mediocrity if he didn't begin early enough. His first attempt was in sports.

He hated basketball. Tennis wouldn't do, neither would hockey, golf, swimming, baseball, track and field, skiing, cross-country or lacrosse. His last resort was football.

Naruto, then only seven, seemed to take a liking to the basic form of the game. He saw it only as a fun activity to do while with his father, but Minato saw it as worth more than a pot of gold, whereas the reward would not be found in money, but in the fact that the dream of a perfect son was not yet reduced to ashes.

As he grew into what Minato dreamed of and much more, it gave the older man a brighter perspective on the things that he harnessed the power to change. He became convinced after a while that Naruto could have just as easily turned out to be a contemptible wretch and a burden to all who knew him had it not been for Minato's ardent parental intervention.

Minato would never fail to remember the day when he was the first person that Naruto informed that he was to be a quarterback on a team that needed him. Although he was filled with pride, he had to feign excitement. He'd anticipated that call years before it ever happened. His son was perfect, the news could only register as apart of his perfection, in his father's mind.

The few errors in Naruto's life under the wing of his father, and some while he was an adult, were either denied or veraciously reprimanded. Whenever a principal called Kushina because Naruto had shoved a frightened kid's head into a toilet filled with urine, Minato was the first to accuse the school official of being jealous of the positive direction of Naruto's life as opposed to being a poorly paid bureaucratic flunky.

Other times, when denial wasn't a usable ploy, Naruto found the collar of his shirt being pulled up to Minato's eye level before being told that he'd better wise up or he'd be sorry for the rest of his life. The threats never held any filling but Naruto headed them nonetheless.

Many of those times included occasion when pornography was found on the teen's personal computer. Naruto would never forget the raw disgust in his father's voice during a confrontation.

"_What the fuck are you doing with this filthy shit?"_

His eyes, his words, the way his teeth clenched in front of his speech made those times all the more memorable.

"_So you want to fuck boys now? Is that what you want?!"_

The crowd in the Chicago stadium filled every seat in the establishment. Their screams and cheers were deafening to those in the halls behind the seats, making the onlookers feel a little more aware of what was going on down on the field. It was a network of energy, giving each person a piece of happiness.

Fathers didn't need to tell their sons how important the Super Bowl was. The network of energy at the game did all of the explaining.

Masculinity was a god there and no one dared to question its majesty.

Section A was the closest to the field, there were all of the fans that followed their team to whatever city they played. Football was their life, be it because of a lack of such in any other place or because it was just something to get their minds off of relationships that required genuine interaction. Section A was a place for people who won their chance to see a country treasure in a contest, raffle etc. No one forgot a seat in Section A, it was the only section where the lights could be seen reflecting off of the dancers' teeth and the sweaty faces of the players. Section A was for people who were accustomed to the finer things in life as well as those who weren't.

Section B and C were filled with the middle aged men and women who decided to treat themselves and possibly their children to an event that was contrary to the pattern-like flow of their lives. It was a deviation from getting up at an ungodly hour, and lighting a tired fire under the cauldron that was their existence. Sections B and C were the people who wanted to get away, even if for an event that lasted barely six hours. Few people in Sections B and C would admit that after the game was over, that they wanted nothing more than to return to their lives, their homes.

Section D wasn't a mixed section like the others. Section D was the smallest section and, when filled with people, was hard to distinguish from Sections C and E. Section D was a section for people who wanted sometime away, almost like those in Sections B and C. But in Section D the people wanted to stay in the seats, under the lights, under the spotlight for a little while longer. The sitters in Section D wanted their lives to shine brighter and would give anything for it.

Section E was the section directly underneath the press box. Section E was a section of outcasts. Section E was filled with people who walked through life with a smile upon their faces, despite the times when there was little reason to be happy. Section E was the largest section and it was arguably the most content. It put shame to the uncouth nickname 'nosebleed section', much like its occupants did. With their gallant sense of optimism, they transformed the spears thrown at them into the beautiful flowers that landed gracefully at their travel-weary feet.

The crowd watched the large field as they anticipated their teams' arrival on its green surface. They all knew the players were beneath their feet praying, feeding off of the sounds that they made, hoping that the odds of their actions swayed in their favors. The goal of the day had already been reached. No one would admit how little the outcome meant. Not a soul would come clean about how they were simply happy to be there perhaps to oppose the poetry of the entire experience.

The smells of various foods being cooked and served, the sound of the sports journalists over the sound system talking up the game, the noise that could be heard from miles away, the college band that won the chance the play outside as the carefree spectators entered the stadium all made Naruto's skin tighten.

He'd dreamt of the moment underneath his cleats since he was a child. He would entertain no thoughts surrounding the subject that fried his mind the night before. He couldn't stand the nights when he couldn't sleep; he was still used to not worrying over things that were supposed to be miniscule to him.

The time before kickoff passed by gruelingly slow.

He thought about his wife and son in the press box with his parents and agent. They all loved him and he loved them all as well, but even they fell short of filling the frantic feeling of emptiness. The more he tried to douse his mind with the immensity of what was going on outside but the fire was too strong.

He sat in the back of the shower room clenching his hair, feeling the pressure of all of his mistakes and decisions coming to a head. The power of it all was beginning to give him a headache. He didn't know exactly what to feel at the moment. His sickness of not having seen Gaara in nearly two months begged a different set of emotions from him than the fruition of his life outside. By instinct, he remembered the harsh words that his father had for emotions, something he seemed to show very little of.

_I'll get through this without losing my fucking mind. _

Up in the press box a family all connected to one man sat in silence. Their son, father, and husband had worked his entire life to see the day when he'd get to be apart of that event and there was not a word sharp enough to cut the thick atmospheric marsh of tension that nearly suffocated all of them.

Kushina was there for a single reason and couldn't be bothered with any task that extended beyond the parameters of respirating. Minato stared blankly into his glass of scotch as if he'd been the victim of an unfinished lobotomy. Charlotte laughed with a few other wives on the other side of the box with the small boy by her side. Kushina looked over at her a few times with contempt falling from her eyes. Minato's eyes were still fixated on the floor. Kushina noticed immediately. He only stared into space when there was a battle internally ensuing.

"Minato?"

"..."

"Minato"

He said nothing.

"Minato!" She snapped in front of his face. He looked up at her with red eyes, it occurred to her then that his eyes had been open for longer than the day.

"What?"

"Well, for starters, you haven't blinked since we got here"

"I'm fine"

"Naruto's about to come out"

Those words slapped him.

"What did you just say?"

"Naruto's coming out", she said pointing down to the field.

The people in the press box rang out in applause. The crowd's cheering outside sounded like an angry army about to fight out against injustice to their home country, clamoring for bloodshed. The sound was like nothing Naruto had ever heard in his entire life. He'd become accustomed to the sound of loud stadiums but this one was more than he'd ever expected. Gaara's fire in his mind calmed a portion. He was surprised when a reporter came up to him with a microphone.

He looked into all of the faces of men, women, girls and boys; all of them looking up to him in a way that he didn't feel was fair. All denial ended almost at once. He knew who he was and lost all power to deny it anymore. The struggle remained to allow the truth to come forward across his cold kissed lips after the barrier of denial had been lifted.

He knew better than to make a fool of himself, but he couldn't help but feel like he was liable to say anything at the moment.

The crowd suddenly got a little quieter to hear what the star of LA was about to be asked.

Minato leaned forward in his seat as the reporter asked him a question.

"Mr. Uzumaki you've worked your entire life for this day, your story is truly an inspiration. Is there anyone you'd like to thank for helping you as a player come this far?"

Naruto thought for a moment as the condensation came from his nose. "My family most definitely, but there's one man who's believed in me from day one, he kicked my ass training me, he pushed me farther than even I thought I could go, my father is the reason I'm here today"

He looked into the camera that displayed onto the screen in the press box. "Dad, I love you. This is for you", he said before making his way through the crowd's overwhelmed reaction to the field.

For the first time that a hardened man could remember, a sole tear slipped down Minato's face. His tears caught the eye of his wife and she rubbed his back as more came, and more, and much more. Soon the press box looked onward as they saw a man that towered over all of them, weeping like a guilty little boy. He'd ruined his son's life by pushing him towards the woman that left her son by one of her friends and escaped to the restroom.

He ran after his own dreams of a perfect son and left his son dangling helplessly behind. For the first time he'd considered the possibility that Naruto, in the beginning, ever cared for football. He thought about what Kushina said a few nights before. She tried her best to look past her shock at his reaction and sooth his suddenly vulnerable state.

He began to mutter something incomprehensible as he wept helplessly, for the first time in his entire life; he had to admit that he was wrong about something. And instead of his strong and booming voice doing the talking for him, his tears did the same, perhaps, he thought, because he'd done so much and waited so long to be human.

The people in the press box could quite find a reason why after being told that he was loved by his son would he express so much sorrow. Kushina was the only one in the room who knew why, and she prided herself in the fact. For the first time in a long time, she could give her husband something that no one else could.

He soon lifted his face from his hands and smiled to the people who were looking at him. "That's my boy"

As the game went on, Minato waited for Charlotte to come out of the bathroom but she seemed to disappear until one of her friends informed him that she's went down to the sidelines to be closer. Kushina looked over at him, afraid to ask him about his sudden outburst in front of everyone else in the press box. He seemed to be contemplating something. Whatever it was, it was something that he planned on acting out very soon. She couldn't figure it out.

The end of the game neared and Minato decided to grab his coat and to walk down to the sidelines. The score was a truthful teller of who was going to be the victor. The crowd's cheering began to grow more monstrous in volume as Minato walked through the tunnel that crept from underneath a corner of Section A. It didn't occur to him that he was missing major events in the game, things that would have normally captured his attention for the entire game. He could only think of one thing and one thing only.

The night's cold met his face with a quickness that caught him off guard. The wind that greeted him helped to put his thoughts into focus. As he walked over to where to coaches were, the teams were still at it. The noise of the crowd seemed to be a bit quieter than many others heard.

His last view of the game was of Naruto running like a Wildman across the field, men falling to their faces behind him, a sight that he all but salivated over since the morning of Naruto's birth. Another tear slipped down his face as the fans released an ear-splitting roar and Naruto's team ran onto the field to hoist him up on their shoulders.

A colorful rain of confetti created a peculiar array in the cold air.

As the team dumped the cooler onto the coaches, Naruto looked across the field to see his beaming father. He ran to him and they shared an embrace that shook the cold's power over the stadiums climate. The two men held each other for a while until people began approaching.

The camera came as did Charlotte with their child. She looked into his eyes with Naruto Jr.'s hand in hers. The cameraman and the reporter tried asking him a question, but his answer was stopped by Charlotte's lips meeting with her husband's. The deep and passionate kiss was displayed onto the enormous screen at the crown of the stadium. The fans let out cheers and whistles as the hero of the night kissed his beautiful wife. He released her lips before reaching down and scooping up the young boy.

It was sight for all to see.

Fuckery.

Perfection.

Minato knew what he had to do.

* * *

><p>A few clouds, over the area of town where the outcasts lived, curled seductively like the smile of a lover. They told a story of love that was too brash and unconventional to pass the lips of anyone beneath them. The curling clouds were fearless and beautiful.<p>

A white sports car drove through a rougher part of LA that the driver had seen very little of during his time living there. It resembled a part of town where he didn't know his son traveled at the hours of passion, but that was another ghetto. This place was considered worse, more densely populated.

At the point where the freeway ends and the street begins, the point where dreams are incinerated and reduced to meaningless ashes of conformity, at the point where all negative notions find their warmth and origin, at the place where love is bludgeoned by the unwavering cruelty of circumstance, this is where the white sports car traveled.

_Gemein_

The road was bumpy and cracked

Large sections protruded out of the common shape of the ground, its face of gray changed in complexion from a feathery slate to a basalt-like black. It was an ugly and fragmented portion of infrastructure. It proved to be too insignificant for repair; it performed the task it was designed for, the rest of the neighborhood supplemented the insignificance.

The people standing on the shoulders of the streets gave the expensive car quite the attention that the driver deemed undesirable. The man in tattered clothing tried to peer through the tinted and mysterious windows only to see his reflection atop the sleek black panel. A woman a few paces next to him laughed with enough volume with her girlfriend standing next to her as an intricately shaped cloud of smoke surrounded their faces.

The stoplight before his destination flickered miserably making it a quandary as to whether or not to proceed. There were plenty of cars behind him honking; it must have been broken. Rust diminished the yellow color of the stoplight and the green function was instead a hazy and worn out blue.

All of the apartments looked the same; they were all dilapidated yet somehow inhabitable on account of the sight of all of the people outside of them. They all consisted of four floors of equal height, width, and filthiness. A massive arm of lime scale and rust ran down the wall the neighbored the road. There were about eight of them centered in the middle of the block, all of them shared a common walk way that connected the two landlord offices. The pathway leading to the offices was eroded and covered in red leaves, urine and cigarette butts.

People, neighbors, lovers, friends, family stood out on the brittle balconies smoking, having a drink, sharing a laugh about a night gone wrong, about a man who couldn't sustain an erection, about a woman whose pussy smelled fishy, about someone's rotten children, about taxes and gas prices, about how long it would take before her husband or boyfriend found her, about getting fired for being too dark, about why he hasn't called me back, about how good she made me feel last night, about where my baby is, about the rich slut who won't give him back to me, and possibly about the rumors about her husband.

Seeing the young women in the parking lot up against the wall, Minato parked his car in the front where he could keep an eye on it. He was never the man to be ashamed of his congenital haughtiness.

His tall stature depleted his ability to be inconspicuous. They all looked at him with a half-smile; they would talk more about him after he left. They all looked to be in their early to mid-twenties, their races were the color that put shame to that of the apartment walls. By the grace of unique look on her face Minato knew that his name was familiar to her. Perhaps she had seen him on TV or in a magazine.

Her friend immediately picked up on the fact that she knew him and looked back at her suspicious expression as she slowly rose from her leaning position against the wall to walk back up to her apartment. They've talked about him before; they said nothing as they both walked up the rusty stairs, wordless.

Memories are only as meaningful as they are made to the people who experience them. Those that are prized higher than all others can be mistaken for obsessions if they are the only constancy in the mind. This question was often question by Ember Salazar. The product of her emotional inquiry was framed, plastered and pinned all over her residence.

Every amount of free wall space was occupied with some memory of her son. His innocent and joyous face was the personality and soul of the apartment. His smile the unit's mind and emotional state, it was his smile that gave the place a backbone, hop, courage, light, pride, an everlasting glow of the untouched veracity of a child's love for life. They had gone to the beach, to the homes of a few close relatives and friends, the movies, the playground. He was her essence. Without him she was merely a fleshly ghost, deflated and devoid of all the things that made her life more than a day-to-day revanch.

Minato stood speechless, on the verge of weeping at the sight of a mother's unrivaled love for her child. _What have we done? _

This was becoming a frequent question in his mind as the events unfolded before his eyes. "Have a seat", she said politely. Her voice was pristine and feminine. She reminded him of his mother, her voice was feminine as well. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, thank you"

She sat next to him on the old green suede sofa. Her bare toes curled atop the stained shag carpeting. Minato could tell from her descended countenance that she was hiding something, something that had come to be the source of her shame and persisting guilt.

Neither of them bothered to exchange names. They both knew who the other was, either from the view of the public eye or from the knowledge brought about by a family-salvaging realization.

From the scent of his cologne she was instantly reminded of Jonathan's father but there was a quality that was all too unique to this man in particular. Masculinity was abundant in every aspect of his appearance like rolling hills of milk and honey. His tall and firm stature was almost alluring to her; she wasn't bold enough to pursue him. She knew he was married, and to a formidable woman, so she'd heard. His eyes were fierce and cold, but his body emitted a familiar heat.

They were close enough on the sofa for her to feel his aura. There was one place to sit in the entire apartment. Her eyes were locked onto his large, strong hands and firm chest as it protruded through his shirt, his gray hair was a step she didn't want to take. He was old enough to be her father.

Her search for the beginning of his sexual hold over her was interrupted by his deep voice.

"I'm sure you know why I'm here", he rested his elbows on his knees and intertwined his fingers as he turned to her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I would hope so"

"I'm sorry"

She was caught off guard. Surely he had come to threaten her with every legal weapon in his arsenal if she didn't stop harassing his daughter-in-law, or maybe just to rough her up himself, it would be something she was expecting, that would lessen the blow. But instead he apologized. The curl of the smile of hope showed itself. _Will he give my baby back to me?_

"For what?"

"You don't know?" The question made Minato second-guess coming traveling to Ember's apartment.

"I know, I just don't know why you'd be sorry", she said before wanting to retract her statement. "That came out wrong"

"I know what you mean", Minato looked away. "I didn't want to believe it when I heard it. I wasn't even supposed to hear it"

"What do you mean?"

"The phone in my office is broken and it picks up the conversation of anyone I'm calling if the line is already busy for some reason, I haven't gotten the chance to get it replaced yet"

"You heard us…"

"Yeah…I knew Charlotte had a few issues but this…this is just too much, I never expected her to stoop this low, and for what?"

"Then I guess you know why I agreed to it then…"

"What choice did you have?"

"That doesn't change the fact that I sold my own child", a tear fell from her eyes. "What kind of a mother am I?"

Minato leaned in closer and clasped her hand in between his. "You did what you had to do". His breath was warm but it wasn't corrosive like Jonathan's father. It smelled of a sharp mint. His voice was so inviting she had to restrain herself from falling into his lap. She looked into his eyes before wanting to look away, but she couldn't turn away. They were drawing her further out to sea.

_Touch me_

Minato looked at her entire form. He knew what he was thinking was wrong. He knew that the expanding sensation in his manhood would break his wife's heart. He knew that Ember was so much younger than him. He withdrew from his grasp. Ember got the message; the face of the woman often seen with him in public began to flash in her head. She seemed so nice. After the birth of Jonathan she developed the annoying habit of thinking that nice women don't marry disgusting men. She changed the subject.

"I want my son back"

The declaration sent chills down Minato's spine. He couldn't speak.

"I don't care what she has on me, I don't care what I've done, how much money she has, how many lawyers or connections or ways or anything she or anybody else in your family has, I want my kid back", she said as her voice began to elevate shakily.

The older man sighed deeply. "Give me some time".

"What for?"

He paused before looking into her eyes. "My son thinks that Na…..Jonathan is of him, I have to find a way to tell him, I may as well be telling him his son's dead"

"But this isn't my fau-"

"I know", he said interrupting her. "I know, but you've got to understand; he'll be devastated. She may have to put a restraining order out on him, he'll go mad"

"He'll know how I've felt for almost three years now", she had no sympathy for Naruto's potential reaction, which was more than evident. "For three years I've been away from my son. For three gruelingly long years I've had a no idea if he's ok, if he still loves me, if he knows that his mother loves him, that I had to do it for our own good. She took that away from me and I gave it to her. That was the last time I'll ever give someone what belongs to me. I'm still paying for doing that with my other possessions, but this one stops here"

"…."

"Do whatever you must, but I want my child back", she was growing tired of the weakness of men to do her bidding, her rage was growing in effervescence, and her feelings towards this man were mixed and unclear, like components of water left in the deep grooves and crevices of the streets outside after a rain-shower.

"He's mine; not your son's, not Charlotte's and not yours, mine. Give him back to me", she said looking into his blue eyes, facing the harrowing tides with a newfound courage. Her wiles were not to be taken lightly, for they were that of a woman scorned and a mother transgressed.

Minato nodded and rose to his feet before walking to the door, Ember followed him. He stopped before making his exit.

"I really am sorry for this", he left.

The steady clacking of the man's shoes was stopped on his way down the concrete steps. He looked across the courtyard and saw a boy with a striking familiarity. It was quite a distance away and the haziness created by a wall of smoking men made it harder still to make out the youth's facial features, all that was visible was a color, a color that he swore he would rue forever.

When the smoke cleared, the youth was gone.

His white car soon sped off, leaving behind a cloud of smoke that was indecipherable from the smoke coming from the residents of the projects.

* * *

><p>"I'll be right back babe; I have to make a quick phone call"<p>

Heads turned to the infamy sitting on the edge of the room. He and his company paid them no mind with the exception of a few adorers who bothered to come up and ask for an autograph or a picture. A stunning brunette excused herself to the outside of the restaurant to make an important phone call. There was no waiting area, reservations were mandatory.

_Gedӓchtnisstütze_

"Ok", a kiss.

Coventry's was a less than new restaurant that demanded only the most primarily listed clientele in the LA area. It was Charlotte who'd decided to go there after the hours following her husband's victory. There was something stirring in her sense of control over the coming situation, her plan for fruition.

The restaurant was founded on a plot that had originally been a small brothel, one of the few legal ones left in the country. It was eventually shut down in the 1970s when a center for a feminist group was established just down the street. Women armed with pamphlets and empowering language came alone but left each day with more and more women who wanted to taste the flavor of life outside of the occupation of pleasing men.

_Küssen_

Soon the exasperated and helpless owners were eventually forced to close their doors much to the suppressed dismay of many of the affluent men of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. The building remained dormant until it was transformed into a high caliber eatery, ironically by one of the women who made her living there as an escort.

Her name was Rachel. She had owned the place ever since its opening and refused to let either the wealth of the man who used to be her husband or presently her old age come between it and her. She only came in the restaurant on certain days of the week, whatever day felt fine and good in her soul.

It was a Tuesday.

She knew he would be there that day, she'd checked the last name on the reservation twice just to be sure. It would be the first time he'd ever come in, she knew what he looked like; she just had to see what he looked like in person. She couldn't bring herself to tell him. He would be crushed, and ultimately he'd hate his father forever. She couldn't do that to him.

He was beautiful; her blue eyes glistened with tears as she retreated to her office in the back

The restaurant was located on the part of town farthest from where the clouds were swirling ominously. It was nestled miles away from the sudden annihilation of Charlotte's picaresque and romantic life; her man, her child, her house, her demesne, her holdings, her name, all vanquished with the wave of a color. They hardened her feet against the floor as she walked away to make her phone call.

The interview of the quarterback and coach upon the ever-elevating platform was easily forgetful for Naruto. All of his fought for dreams and passions as a child, a young boy and a young adult, all culminating at once, all of his goals and aspirations released into existence with a final breath. Everything not pertaining to this durational toil seemed to be cloaked amongst the clouds of the black night sky, waiting in secret with a barrage of Arrows to be fired once again.

As the platform descended all of the colors of the exiting crowds opened the floodgates for the constant search for his true love and battle against his own discouragement. He had all that a man could ask for, once on the level of the ground. What was making him go so crazy?

The press conference only made matters paler. Questions, questions that he could answer, questions that he couldn't, and questions that gave him an annoying reminder of the true identity of the one he wanted so goddamned badly. These were the only things that were sent in his direction by all of the overweight men spewing rhetorical inquiries about athletic technicalities and future predictions and pointless mentions of names that meant nothing to him across the room of reporters.

The game was two months before their meeting at the restaurant.

For the life of him; he couldn't bring himself to shake the urge to leave the table at the expensive restaurant. He would be wasting over a hundred dollars on the over-priced meal that his wife reserved for the four of them

He wasn't at all involved in the conversation with Sakura and Sasuke that nonetheless involved him. All he could see were mouths moving, though nothing seeming to cross them but the sweet and melancholy sound of Gaara's voice.

_Why can't I hear anything?_

He still couldn't figure out why Gaara ended it, and it was corroding his brain while it searched for the answer. He didn't want to admit that he'd given him the shorter end of the agreement but he knew it was true.

Naruto began to grow uncomfortable in the leather material chair and shifted constantly to the fancy of his vexation. Sasuke looked at him over the rim of his wine glass as he took a sip. Slipping off into the oblivion of his own mind seemed to be a recurring habit of his best friend causing him not to respond to it.

Naruto had little experience with the games played by emotions but he knew for sure how to end the one being played by rogue passion. He would find some way to see him and he would pay no mind to any of Gaara's devices to push him away, even if he had to hurt him, he would find out the reason why their dizzying love affair was put to an end as swift as a phone call. He would be unstoppable in his pursuit.

But what about his hindrances? What would they say about this uncouth form of a rendezvous? They'd never concur with the validity of the escapade upon which he was plotting to embark, his father being the most adamant of such. His recent heightening of notoriety proved to be counter-productive in his favor.

Despite all of the obstacles in his path, all he could think of was the way Gaara's head descended ever so gradually when he was feeling disconsolate, the way he blinked frantically when he didn't want to make eye contact, the way he fussed and fought when Naruto offered to lend any of his financial difference to help, the similarity of his voice with the soft moaning of a violoncello, the pitiful attempts he made to dissuade anyone from thinking he had been crying. These were the masks worn by the hindrances in his way.

_How did I let this happen?_

Charlotte broke him away from his myriad of entanglements. He could suddenly feel the draftiness he'd felt when they entered the restaurant. He had to paint the picture of him being mentally present the entire time, he never wanted to seem to not be content with the achievement that all present played a part in.

"Who was that on the phone?" He pulled out her chair.

"Just an old friend of mine", she said picking up her fork and injecting it into a remaining piece of salmon.

"Do I know them?"

"I don't think so", her eyes met his for a moment. Naruto couldn't help but notice the same swirling of the clouds in her deep brown eyes, or maybe he was just imagining things. Sakura wiped her eyes with a white tissue. Her sniffle alerted everyone to her direction.

Sasuke placed a hand on her back. "Need another Xanax?"

"Oh shut up", she said, still wiping her eyes. She looked up at Naruto.

"What?" His blank expression made her smile.

"I'm so proud of you", her voice was beaming. "You've worked so hard for this, and it does my heart wonders to see you finally get that ring"

"I couldn't have done it without you"

"You're right, they should've given me that damned ring""

They all shared a brief laugh.

Charlotte grasped his hand. "I love you", she said

Her words, however much they were worth, shot arrows adorned with fire at Gaara's walls, maiming them, perchance for a while, perchance forever. Those words had scarcely passed Charlotte's red lips during the time they'd been married, Naruto could never quite decide if that meant that she really loved him or if it meant that she didn't love him at all.

"I love you too", the words ripped flesh out of his very heart as they left his lips. He felt like the three things he prayed that he would never become; a liar, a hypocrite and a coward.

_I have to get out of here._

"Are you two headed home after this?" Sasuke unsuspectingly asked from across the table. Sakura knew him all too well. She knew by his mannerisms that there was a dilemma extending outside of their understanding of Naruto that was fermenting in his mind.

The waiter brought back their cards.

Before Charlotte had the chance to answer, Naruto answered for her. "I have a few errands to run".

"Nothing I can take care of?" Charlotte offered. "I'm free for a little while today"

"It's fine, you go home and get some rest", he said caringly. "Jr's still at your parents' house; you deserve at least a little time to yourself"

Sakura looked at him analytically from across the table. She could see the same redness that blinded her friend. He was going to go find him, and she knew that it was true that he would tell any lie that would allow him to do just that.

"You're a doll", she kissed him. "I'll go get the valet"

"I guess I'll go too, I'm beat"

The two got up from the table and left Naruto and Sakura to bask in anticipation for the both of them to leave.

"It would be in your best interest not to get caught", Sakura reached into her handbag for her phone without looking directly at him. Naruto gave her an incredulous look.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Everyone else may have their heads up their asses but I can see right through you", she said cannily. "I know where you're going and just as a forewarning you may find something you aren't looking for"

"How do you know?"

"It's been nearly three months, he's nineteen, he's probably moved on by now", she said trying to prevent what she knew was inevitable. "Contrary to what your ego tells you, that's what people do after they've been with you"

"Actually he'll be twenty in a few days", he said calmly making his manager burry her face in her palms in exasperation. "And all I'm doing is seeing that he's ok; LA's a dangerous place for someone his age on his own, especially where he lives. He's only lived here for a little over two years"

Sakura sighed deeply before getting up.

"I thought you liked him"

"That's not the point, you have to understand you-", she stopped herself. "You're from two different worlds, and unfortunately one of those world's doesn't take nicely to threats"

Naruto gave her a quizzical glance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed realizing her poorly executed slight of tongue. "Just be careful"

"I will"

* * *

><p>A call was answered miles away.<p>

He could see the name on the caller ID and the sight made his skin draw within itself. It was a feeling that he was terribly ashamed of getting used to. He was a person that didn't at all like to be frightened by anyone, but he knew with this woman that he little choice in the matter.

He put the phone up to his ear before he missed the call.

"Hello?"

"_It's me"_

There was only one woman he knew with that voice. It was a voice that reminded him of all that separated him from the light he found in a foreign place. Her voice reminded him of how much he didn't belong and granted the voices who told him so with vividness that made him never want to be alone.

Gaara clutched the strap of his messenger bag before walking out of the door. He hated the work he did. He detested it with the same veracity with which he loved the way the moon shined over the projects. Despite the thick chord of fear this woman struck in him with something so minuscule as the sound of her voice, he couldn't help but feel beholden to the feelings he'd felt when Naruto told him that he'd never let anything hurt him. It was light, yet weighed a ton. It was fleeting, yet ever so constant. He rebelliously wished to hear those words once again.

He was beginning to gain interest in the purpose of her call.

"Look, I did what you wanted", he said trying to hide his discomfort. "Why are you calling me?"

"_Trust me, this isn't a personal call, just a little warning"_

"What are you talking about?"

"_He'll be looking for you tonight"_

"How do you know?"

"_I know that man like the back of my hand; trust me, he'll be out looking for you"_

"And?"

"_If his search happens to be successful, just remember: I gave your mother her freedom, and I can take it away just as easily"_

"What do you want me to do? I have to work tonight; I can't help it if he finds me", he said incredulously. "And I can't afford to move out of LA"

"_Stay away from him or your mother will be in prison by Sunday"_

Gaara released the pusillanimous grip on his tongue. "He's a grown man, he'll do whatever he likes"

"_I've made my demands; you just make sure you keep your end of the bargain", she hung up. _

Gaara swallowed the lump forming in his throat and took the phone from his ear. This would be another thing to keep his mind occupied at work. He had always hoped to have something every day to think about to beguile his mental interest for a about six to seven hours.

He couldn't believe he said that to her. It wasn't meant to be a threat, nor was it meant to be a challenge. He figured that she most likely took to be either one or both of those.

And somehow he didn't care.

* * *

><p>A black car pulled up to the front gate of an LA estate and came to a silent stop. The sky had grown much darker than before when they'd left Coventry's. Thunder could be heard approaching LA along with a few isolated flashes of lightning. There was a light mist precipitating from the sky that began to collect on Naruto's windshield.<p>

"Are you sure it can't wait?" Charlotte looked out of the passenger window. "There's supposed to be a terrible shower tonight"

"I'll be back before it gets too bad", he said not bothering to turn the car off. He turned and kissed his wife before she exited the vehicle. Her mind was racing as she walked up the steps. This was the first time in a very long time that she had little to no control over the coming events. She knew where he was going but the fruition of her ultimate workings would be incinerated if he knew that she was even aware of their involvement.

_I swear it I'll kill him if I have to._

Naruto saw the two double doors close behind her and his heart exhaled as he drove back down the winding driveway to the street. After he had been driving for a little while he noticed that a wall of Nature's purification had blinded his view of the road. He liked driving in the rain, and this wasn't true for a very long time. The steady fall of rain while driving brought him vivid memories of the warming sound of his laugh.

He wasn't sure where he was going or if Gaara would even be where he looked but he had to try. Things had gotten worse since the day of his finalizing phone call. Naruto was able to admit that he was not in love with Charlotte in the same way he was when they had first met. Her fine and electrifying brown hair had lost its effect on him, if ever there was such an effect. Whenever she wanted to make love, she only got the same tired excuse of a headache or the occasional fatigue resulting from a long day.

After a while she had stopped trying and retired to her own dealings.

As for their son, Naruto's love for him was fading quickly. There was something in the pit of his stomach that was beginning to tell him something that he surely did not want to believe. He would never believe that someone would stoop that depth just for the things that he gave his wife, it was unthinkable.

He figured he would try Maude's. If not his presence then he would at least be granted knowledge of where he might be. The rain began to thicken as the sky grew darker.

_Suchen_

He entered the part of LA where Maude's was located, immediately he was reminded of all of the conversations they had, after all the times he had to pry Gaara into the car so he wouldn't have to wait in the rain for the next coming bus. It reminded him of how the amount of worries on his mind was ever present on his face when he thought no one was looking. It reminded him of how he would place his hand on his chest when he was at a loss for words.

Gaara's face was beginning to fade in his mind the closer he got to Maude's. Naruto couldn't quite decide if he was relieved or if he should exceed the speed limit. His heart dropped at the very thought of his face being absconded from the face of his memory should his search prove to be a failure. If there was anything that he wanted to take to his grave it was the picture of Gaara's face. He couldn't get there fast enough.

Maude's came into view and he raced into a nearby parking garage. His vision was blinded by both the pouring rain and the flooding of memories of the night his obsession came to be. All the while he couldn't help but to wonder what would've become of his life had he not stepped into the warm scent of Maude's Pub & Eatery. For every time someone asked him if he was in love, he always thought about what his life would be like if he had never seen Gaara's sea-foam green eyes.

He sought refuge in the fact that the clientele of the establishment were sexually ambiguous, in that many of the men and women who came through the double doors were heterosexual. He remembered Gaara telling him that the owner never wanted her place to be coined as a 'gay bar' as it demanded too many stereotypes that she wished not to be associated with her restaurant. Additionally, the paparazzi weren't present to make his life more than difficult. He'd grown to hate them with a passion, especially after they mistook Gaara for some sort of home wrecker. He wore shades just to be safe.

He still had on a black suit from dinner, that would hurt his ability to acquiesce the general sight of the room, but somehow his standing out couldn't concern him any less.

By the time he'd gotten to the door he could somehow already tell that something was wrong. What was most shocking was the degree to which the restaurant had changed in the feeling of its atmosphere since the last time he'd been there. There were fewer people there that night, possibly because it was a Tuesday. He kept walking in, catching the eye of a few women and a few men. He smiled and turned away to find a pair of eye looking at him over the brim of a pair of black rimmed glasses.

"Something told me you'd be back", Angela said leaning up against the wall of the hallway leading to the back from which Gaara first emerged into Naruto's fantasies.

"You remember me?" Naruto took his glasses off.

"I never forget a face like yours, especially when it's plastered on every billboard, bus, train and cereal box in the country, Mr. Super Bowl", she said with a smirk.

"Where's Chloe?"

"Tonight's her night off", she said taking a seat in one of the empty booths near them. "So why don't we cut the shit and get down to why you _really _came down here"

"Is he still here?"

"You missed him by a little over two months", she said sadly. "He put in his two-weeks-notice right after you won"

"But why?"

"He didn't say"

"Does he still live in the same complex?"

"No", she sighed. "He moved out of there before he left here"

"Into a better place, I hope"

"I wish", she said solemnly. "It's much worse. He couldn't afford to stay there anymore so he had to move to the East End, it's cheaper and closer to his new job, poor thing"

Naruto put a hand up to his mouth and looked away, making his shining silver watch clink.

"And I haven't seen or heard from him since he left, neither has Chloe", she said. "I would go to see about him but only an idiot would go on that side of town unarmed, I just hope he's ok"

Naruto paused before asking his next question. "Do you know where he's working now?"

She bit her bottom lip.

"Angela, please, I've got to know", there was an unparalleled yearning in his deep blue eyes that she had never witnessed before in her life. "I could never forgive myself if I left without finding out if he was ok", he said pleadingly.

Angela sighed deeply before getting up and retrieving a small piece of paper. She sat back down before beginning to scribble a name and address on the paper. She slowly handed it to the taller man sitting across the table from her.

"Now I can't guarantee he'll be working tonight, but my best guess would say he is", she said as Naruto rose to his feet. "He made me promise to keep my trap shut should you come by"

Naruto gave her a sincere look of gratitude. "Thank you"

_Flash_

Mirroring the bright lightning outside, was the constant flickering of the taunting strobe light overhead that was beginning to make his eyes hurt. The room was large but it was growing warmer and warmer as the Tuesday crowd poured into the building. He gripped the steel cage that trapped him wherever he walked, he could not escape.

_Tanz_

The eyes that watched him from below made him feel like a circus animal, only to be watched, never touched, only to be seen and not heard. His bare feet against the cold cage floor were beginning to bother him more than it had for the time he'd been working there.

_Get me out of here_

There was something about working there that had been giving him great pause for quite a while. It was growing hotter under the brown, red and blue strobe lights making him sweat through the black eye design on his face. He could see a few people looking at him from below but his boss discouraged him from looking down. It wasn't sexy. _The object of the game is to make them believe that they don't exist, that there is only you. Their obsession for you and yourself is all that must exist to them, _he said.

It was getting late; he could tell by the way the people on the balconies were dancing. They got wilder as the night progressed. He couldn't stand dancing all night in a cage. All they gave him to wear was a pitch black leather spandex suit, a majority of which was ripped and torn for effect, that was also assaulted with glitter. It had the word 'Fuckface' written in red along the side. That was his name. It stopped in at the ankles, covered the hands, and stopped at the neck. The owner of the club liked the color of his hair. He said it looked exotic under the lights.

He hoped he would never see anyone he knew there. If he did he hoped that their eye wasn't keen enough to detect his identity through the heavy eye paint they were required to wear. He could always see faint streaks of blonde walking through the endless sea of people, each time making him jump out of his skin. He would die before he let Naruto see him in the place. His previous job wasn't much better but this was undoubtedly a step in the downward direction.

_Get on your knees and pretend…_

He hated the things men would say to him from behind the cage. The more they would say things to him, the harder he danced. Perhaps if he worked up a sweat it would make them all go away. It would make their voice melt into the background with all of the other wretched sounds he was forced to endure for the price of a meager check and a few tips when he was allowed to dance on the bar. He wanted more than anything to lose every part of himself under the lights so that the next hours would be just a little easier.

There was an urge in him to shed the suffocating spandex prison and flee outside into what he knew was the cooling rain.

People occasionally threw money into the cage. That was money for food now.

The room reached its peak when Gaara could see one last person walk in from the pouring from outside. The men on the balcony behind him were whistling and throwing more money at him. Gaara's boss had not control over men who reached inside the cage; there was no law or provision protecting men from harassment at the club.

_Sexstar_ was its name. It was the largest dance club that catered to the LGBT crowd in its respective sector of LA. It was opened in the eighties in response to the blaming of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the gay community. The founder and owner was a tall man in his late forties, Richard Crosby, or as many of his subordinates and employees called him, Dick. He was respected and revered. He had slept with half the population of people who regularly attended his club. All it took was a look from him and a faint heart would surely fall to the cold concrete floor. Some said he was perfect. Much to Gaara's dislike, Dick took a special liking to him,

A drag queen living next door to him told him about Sexstar and about how much it paid. It was rumored that one of the go-go boys quit. Gaara hurried at the chance before anyone else got it. Dick was awe struck when he walked through the door. His body, height, complexion, hair, face, all were perfect for the job. Seeing him dance was simply for his pleasure after a long day. He flirted with Gaara especially every pay day. All of the other boys at Sexstar had seen the ceiling of Dick's loft before and hated the new red headed kid with a passion.

Gaara pressed his body up against the steel bars of the cage when he heard a voice call to him from behind. He knew who it was. He knew not to be distracted from making money.

"You're doing pretty well for a newbie"

Gaara didn't answer. All he did was dance.

"Your boss is talking to you", his voice grew sterner. "Come here for a sec"

Gaara turned away from the face of the sea of people dancing below. He faced the tall man on the other side of the cage. His facial hair and the hair on his head was gray and white. He always wore black. He had piercing hazel eyes that flashed alongside with the dreadful strobe lights.

"What?"

"I want to see you in my office after we close up"

"For what?"

He chuckled. "Get back to work", he winked devilishly before turning away and disappearing into the crowd again. Gaara kept dancing. _Only a few more hours left. _

As he looked back out into the crowd he noticed a spec. The spec was also in black but with all of the people there was possible way that dick could possibly get to the bottom floor in time. He kept dancing but the spec wouldn't go away. Amongst the crowd in brighter colors, drunkenly flailing about the dance floor, a pair of blue eyes trapped him like a thieving rat. The level of captivity from the blue eyes surpassed the steel cage by a million miles. He stood naked, immobilized, frozen, exposed and ashamed in the center cage. He wanted to keep moving but the blue eyes arrested his every muscle.

"Hey!" He heard Dick shout at him from behind again. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

He slowly but surely found his way to keep dancing.

The music was beginning to sound fragmented and unusual; the heat of the room rose, Naruto's eyes never left him. He was forced to dance under the heat of his judgment. He wanted more than anything thing he'd ever desired for him to leave and never come back._ What the fuck is he doing here?_

He suddenly remembered Charlotte's warning from earlier. He had to think of something that would make him leave. He turned back to see Dick's irate face from behind him. He turned back to Naruto approaching the stairs leading up to the second floor.

He waited until Naruto was looking before he ran his tongue up and down the steel bars of his cage. When he turned back to the crowd the QB was gone. Gaara didn't know whether or not to sigh in relief because he left or weep because Naruto had seen him at his worst. _Everything they told him about people like me, everything they said to him, it's all true now. _

_Get me out of this cage._

He danced as usual when he was sure that the spec was out of sight.

_Just a few more hours._

With the passing of those painfully slow hours, Gaara had begun to grow terribly fatigued, something that almost never happened. When there was money to be made, he was in complete control of his body. This was a fact that somehow made him wonder about the validity of his falling in love Naruto. Was his undeniable infatuation with the mirage of a man he just saw just the product of his sneaky subconscious plotting an escape from constantly struggling for money? Perhaps his mind saw a way out and injected a terrible elixir into his assailable heart to bid the job finished.

He called over to the security guard, Sam. He was burly man around Naruto's age. Sam was the only person at Sexstar who had neither slept with Dick nor did he hate the new red-headed dancer. On a good day he was the first to see Gaara and the last. The conversations they had made the time go by easier, especially during the awkwardly juxtaposed period of time when no one was on the floor but he was still on the clock. He knew better than to ask to be let out of the cage before his time was up. The list of boys who had been dragged back into the uncomfortable metal cage was infinite. The only excuse feasible was going to the bathroom, and even then his time was limited.

Sam came over and lifted up the heavy door to the cage for Gaara to climb out. He had fallen to the first floor on his first night when he refused Sam's help.

He held on tightly to his arm before landing safely onto the second floor balcony. "You look tired".

"I am", he said wiping the accumulated glitter off of his feet. "I think I might be coming down with something", he felt safe around people who couldn't tell if he was lying. Naruto could, very well.

"I hope it isn't anything serious"

"Yeah", he said as his words came to an end. "Well, goodnight Sam"

"Goodnight Gaara"

It was hardly nighttime. The clock struck 5:09 a.m.

He treaded the descending glass stairs with caution. The drunks left the place littered with broken glass every night. The walk to Dick's office was always nerve wracking. His relationships with his employees were fickle at best and a wrong move, many of which were made by Gaara that night, could result in getting fired. The door was open. He was waiting. He was in good shape if the door was open, which signified that he wasn't angry. He could be an irascible and contemptible man when he was angry. Gaara walked into the cool office to see Dick sitting on the velvet chase lounge.

"Close the door behind you", was his low command.

Gaara, despite his revolting personality, was attracted to Dick's voice. It reminded him of his father's voice. That was also one of the things that made him so frightening. His speaking up to his boss in the cage was a feat that was born purely of the night's unique events.

Gaara went to shut the door behind him when he saw the face of another dancer across the hall, standing outside the dressing room, Mark. He had been dancing for Dick for three years and their one night together was the only attention he ever paid him. Among the other dancers, he hated Gaara the most. He touched and was burned by the fire. He came to rue the day he walked in asking for a job, desperate for money, dying for something that would lessen the strain of his struggle. He would never let Dick touch him. Even if it meant being broke and put out on the street.

Gaara could hear them talking about him in the dressing room.

"_Look who's at it again"_

"_That ass must be pretty good"_

"_Must be, he's not much of a looker"_

"_His eyes are too dark"_

"_He's too thin"_

"_He has ass for days"_

"_He should've looked at the black club down the street"_

"_If he gives Dick anymore blowjobs, I think he'll be promoted to manager soon"_

"_Poor thing probably doesn't even care"_

"_You think they've fucked yet?"_

"_Probably"_

"_No, once Richard Crosby fucks you", he paused. "You're dead"_

Gaara finally closed the door before he got angry. He turned around to see Richard towering over him. The smell of his cologne made him back away. He lost sight of why he had been saving himself. There was no one for him. He knew it would benefit him financially to allow Dick to touch him sweetly. He had been working there for almost three months. He was making more money than he was making at Maude's. _Gaara, just do it. He'll give you more money this way. Stop being a pussy._

"You know why I called you in?"

Gaara, still struck by their closeness, took a gulp. "No", he couldn't tell why he was so ensnared in this position. Dick disgusted him. How could he allow himself to be attracted to such a terrible, ruthless man? He was ashamed of himself, his body was still sore from all of their eyes. They pressed into him, taking whatever they liked and coming back for more.

"Gaara you're a good dancer", he said taking a small step back. "You're not like those other boys back there"

"Thank you"

"You looked a little frazzled out there tonight. Is there anything I need to know?"

"I'm fine"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sir"

He looked Gaara in his eyes. "I want you dancing down by the bar on Tuesdays from now on", he said leaning up against his desk. "I think you make more of an effect down there"

"Ok", he said. "Is there anything else?"

He looked as if he were about to say something, but he decided against it. "Go home, kid"

Gaara smiled meekly before turning around. "Goodnight, Mr. Crosby"

"Goodnight Gaara", he said smiling at his youngest employee. "Be careful, it's coming down pretty hard out there"

"I will", he closed Dick's office door behind him and treaded tumultuous ground as he walked into the dressing room. Loud laughing and salacious gossip came to a stop with the warning of one of the dances. Most of the other dancers were slightly taller than him. They all looked down at him as he walked to his locker and twisted the lock. From the door to the place where Gaara stood, eyes exchanged am encoded message. Gaara knew what they were about to ask him. He hated them just as much as they did him.

"You were in there for a while", Mark spoke up first.

Gaara reached in and pulled out a small jacket out of his locker along with his messenger bag. "He wants me on the bar now", he said flatly, giving them a signal that he didn't want to speak even the smallest word with any of them, they ignored the hint.

"Good luck", another one of them said. They all shared a laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say the men get a little…grabby down by the bar", Mark said making them all laugh. Mark came close to him. Gaara's eyes spelled fury but he couldn't act. He could feel Mark's breath on his face. He could feel his contempt for him, emitted from each breath.

"This club is going to eat you up and spit you out", he said through clenched teeth. "You should've let him fuck you when you had the chance"

Gaara walked away down the corridor leading to the back alley. He'd forgotten his umbrella. He wished more than anything that he had a car. He would have to wait for the bus in the rain, if he stayed inside he would surely miss it and have to wait another two and a half hours. He could hear it as he approached the door. _A little water won't hurt._

_It shouldn't be too long, anyway._

_At least, I hope so._

The street light above the alley where the bus normally picked him up shined onto the street corner that could be seen from the street. Gaara's heartbeat picked up suddenly and for this he could find no explanation. The rain cooled his body from the heat of the stuffy club and the mouth of the filth from which the heat emitted. He wanted to be near him more than ever now. This happened on occasion when he was forced to wait in the rain. He heart began to beat faster still. He couldn't stand still.

The rain had seeped through his clothes, coating his entire body. The black eye paint on his face ran down his cheeks and soon it was gone. He realized that he's forgotten to take it off. His hair was reduced to a bright maroon under the rain. Gaara smiled. She couldn't take it away from him.

She couldn't take away their memories, his touch, his smile, his warmth, his hands, his voice. His deep voice vibrated through his soul when he was alone, sending tremors into his heart in the form of sweet irremovable memories. Sometimes he could still hear it. He could still hear that voice call him beautiful in the rain. It covered him. He wanted to drown in them. He wanted those things to bath him again like the rain. He wanted Naruto's touch and warmth to envelope his entire body just like the cool rain. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall behind him as the memories cleansed him. He could hear an engine nearby.

He shed his jacket, he didn't need it anymore. She couldn't take this from him. He laughed at the thought. _She didn't win. I can still feel him, he was here to see me, I didn't ask him to. He still wanted to be with me. We can never be but he's still here with me. I can almost touch him. _

Gaara opened his eyes. There he was. A figure under the light of the streetlamp approached him.

He couldn't catch his breath. He didn't know what to say or to do. He was paralyzed. His fear of Charlotte's warning was injected back into him like a syringe filled with adrenaline. He couldn't be there. He couldn't let her be put in prison. He amassed every ounce of resistance in his body and turned to walk away.

"Wait, don't run away", he said sincerely. "I just had to see if you were ok"

Gaara stopped for a moment and looked to the side. His heart wrenched at sight of the man in his peripheral vision. "I'm ok"

He waited for another brief moment before continuing to walk away.

"Gaara wait", Naruto called. Gaara could hear him approaching.

"I told you I can't….I don't want to see you anymore", his gut ached after the words passed his lips. "Please, just leave me alone"

"Why?"

Gaara paused. "What?"

"Why don't you want to see me anymore?"

His mouth stood agape but he couldn't look him in the eyes. He would be given away instantly. Naruto grabbed him by his arm and pulled him close.

"Look at me", his breath was intoxicating. "Why don't you want to see me anymore". Gaara committed the crime against his mother and allowed himself to be pulled out by the tides of Naruto's blue eyes, forever to be lost at sea.

Water ran continuously down Naruto's face as he looked down upon his tearful eyes.

"I can't"

"Don't give me that bullshit Gaara!" He cupped the head of red hair in his hands. "Please, I have to know"

Gaara's eyes closed tightly as more tears escaped from the captivity of his perishing amour-propre.

"You have to let me go", they were the hardest words that he ever had to render. He couldn't restrain his bewailing.

Naruto knew he would never tell; it was evident in his bright green eyes. He had to let him go. Never in his entire life was there something that he was too weak to accomplish, until the night that it rained. He was at last powerless. He refused to cry but his emotions got the better of him in the moment. There was only one thing he was left to do.

He meshed his lips unto Gaara's.

A kiss to say how much he'd tried. A kiss to say how hard he loved and how hard he fell from the pedestal purveyed to him by a facile society. Gaara could feel his chiseled chest pressing into his body.

_Please god let this moment last forever. _

His face was nestled between Naruto's strong hands.

Gaara wept. He knew the feeling of the union of their lips would soon have to come to an end. The skies wept for him, they wept in unmitigated unison, their tears mixed about his face and body. Both of their sexes intertwined together. Naruto pushed Gaara up against the concrete wall behind them. He caressed his soaked face and hair as if trying to grasp as much of him before they parted. He ran his hands down Gaara's neckline, shoulders and lower back for all he found special about him and for his hesitance to leave this fantasy and return to his reality. Gaara reached his arms around Naruto's neck, feeling weightless, he couldn't think or process where he was, nor did he want to.

Naruto could feel every inch of his body through the spandex. His length hardened through his Armani suit. Gaara opened his passage wider for the love of ages to enter. He wanted more than anything to immortalize the moment they were sharing. To them there were no others. The rain felt like what heaven was said to feel like.

Gaara's blind fury was interrupted by the remembrance of the deal he made with the devil. He had to leave, he had to find in him that mechanism that allowed him to cope with the unfortunate events that marked his life, the same mechanism that he'd used a countless amount of times before. But he knew the mechanism would be powerless this time. He would have to deal with it on his own, without the enforced help of numbness to loss and bad luck. Gaara pulled away. _I want him so bad._

Naruto's eyes devoured Gaara's, the kiss lasting after he pulled away. Gaara pushed Naruto's broad chest away from the blissfully confining wall. He clutched the silk lining of Naruto's suit.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine on my own", he said resiliently. "And if I won't, I'll just have to hope it gets easier by and by"

"…."

"Goodbye, Naruto", their eyes met once more before Gaara disappeared into the concealing wall of rain, into the deceptive and ever growing light that separated them, out of the warmth and valor of the love they shared and back into the frigid company of the people who claimed that nature wasn't on their side. The rain was his veneer until he was out of sight.

Walking back to his car, putting his key in the ignition, driving back to the house in which he lived his fair dissimulation, feeling the water sloshing around in his leather shoes and suit and hair, parking in the garage, sitting in the dark, he wept. He wept for the discord between his life and Gaara's and he wept because there was nothing he could do to change it. Three years prior to the rain, he would have never believed that anyone had the ability to strip him of everything and leave him bawling like a child. He clutched the steering wheel for precious life. How would he go on?

He gathered his composure and entered the façade that he was so ashamed to say he created.

The colors of the rainy sky painted a dismal archetype of the night's events.

* * *

><p>Truth followed a white sports car back to a mansion on a hill with an adjacency of a faithful husband clinging to his wife. The ensuing rain glistened the streets that guided his way home. Minato paid a queer amount of attention to the bed of soil in the garden behind the house. He drove past the ingress of the driveway to the back sector of the property. The soil was considerably darker than it had ever appeared before. Kushina always told him that darkness signified richness and natural wealth. Along with several of the modest anecdotes, it didn't mean much to him when she told them.<p>

The white car stopped in front of the rather large plot of soil and Minato got out of the car into the pouring candour, the showering devotion and the raining constancy. It seeped through his clothes and caused his expensive clothing to cling stubbornly to his body. His eyes were fixated on the plot of soil.

They'd hired an extensive list of gardening experts, biologists and botanists; they all told the wealthy couple that no plant would ever thrive on that plot of soil or on any spot on the entire property. Minato had suggested that they place artificial plants in the soil to give the illusion of life and fertility. She refused. She would never. Kushina let the plot endure barren. It was one of the few things that Minato's money and affection could never buy. Nature was forever against his frame of mind.

He approached the plot with caution. He couldn't believe his eyes, he thought he was dreaming. The weight on his mind had been lifted without him even realizing it and before he knew it he was seeing things that weren't real, or perhaps were more unfeigned than ever before.

He wasn't quite sure but he could have sworn that he saw the infantile green heads of what were supposed to be flowers.

_Geraniums, Marigolds, Lilies, Daffodils, Roses and Violets_

The green beginnings were frozen in a picture of a graceful passé by the slow and unadulterated time of Nature. It was unreal. Even the salty odor that the bed emitted was gone. It was as if the world he'd known was falling to pieces. He had to admit that it didn't take much for him to fall for this idea but there was something about the budding flowers in the rain that caused his starched hard heart to melt like butter under the wielding of a hot iron.

Before he could continue to make a sentimental fool out of himself he got back into his vehicle and drove around the house to the garage. The cars that lined the wall of his massive garage gave him great pause, a great pause that wouldn't leave him alone. He exited the vehicle dripping with rain water, leaving a spotted wet trail behind. He would explain to the maid later, something he hadn't made a habit in the past. He closed the door behind him before adding darkness the room of vanity and squandered silver and gold.

The room nearest to the garage was oddly the room in the house where most of the altercations of the family had occurred. It was the site of the fight that occurred after Naruto was caught in the closet with the son of a guest, the first time that Kushina found out that Minato had slept with another woman and their first discussion about having another child. His trail of water continued through the room from which many familiar fragments originated.

He soon passed the kitchen where he saw a light over the stove from the inside.

The foyer was lit by the ominous and humorous sky above as it imitated the cliché innocence and fondness of the day. He could see a light in the master bedroom. There was the steady sound of pages being turned, a magazine perhaps. His trail of water, which was now beginning to make him shiver, continued up the stairs. Suddenly the memory of Gaara as he first saw him appeared upon the plane of his troubled mind. He knew something he shouldn't have known and it was eating him alive. Ember's tears seared through his fleshly conscience with a merciless ardor. He reached the peak of the staircase as Jonathan's cries harpooned his guilt-laden heart. He had gone along with the entire thing. Like a fool in blind pursuit of diamonds.

She was laying on the bed reading a novel, the way she did when she felt dejected and tired on account of the pressures of the world. There was a small possibility that she felt like talking. She looked up and the tall soaked man standing in the doorway.

His hair was tousled and his clothes were disheveled. The white of his eyes were now red, he'd had a few drinks, something he only did excessively when he felt guilty. He was a man who guilt visited seldom at the most, making far from a drunk, something Kushina favored in him. She closed the magazine.

"Minato you're soaking wet", she got up and retrieved a few towels from the bathroom.

He wiped his face, never sitting. "I know, it's raining cats and dogs out there"

_Bam._

"Aren't you going to change out of those wet clothes?"

"What for?"

He wasn't looking at anything particularly. His vision seemed to be fixated on an object in another world, a world not detectable by the human eye. She sat back down on the bed slowly. She neither had a clue where this man came from nor was she pleased with it. He wasn't the type to lose control of his liquor.

"Ok, now you're scaring me", she said looking up at his glassy eyes covered by dripping strands of hair. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know how I could've been so stupid"

"What are you talking about?"

"She's fooled him, she's fooled us all"

She rose to her feet. "What are you saying?"

He swallowed a lump in his throat. He abhorred admitting the he was wrong.

"Naruto doesn't have a son"

Kushina's eyes narrowed. She had suspected a flaw in her story but even she couldn't believe it. It was impossible. "You mean Jr. isn't his?"

"His name is Jonathan Salazar", he melted from his frozen position and began to loosen his tie on the way to the closet. "His real mother is a dancer from South Central. She was about to be arrested on prostitution charges and Charlotte made a deal with her. She was going to fool Naruto into thinking that the kid was his, he would 'die' in a fatal car accident, she would be there to comfort him, the kid would go back to his mother and the charges would be dropped"

Kushina's mouth stood agape. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; her point of emotion was unable to distinguish between anger and grief. Grief for the mother and child and anger for the evil woman who was behind the entire production.

She looked ahead as he undressed in the closet. "Are you sure this is true?"

"I went to her apartment today"

The sordid details of their ultimate failures presented themselves in the story Minato revealed.

* * *

><p><em>It's funny how time hardens and cracks sometimes, like during the winter time and it's hard to move as fast as you need to, <em>he said once.

He had to get away from the natural direction of the way things were flowing, it was necessary from the very endurance of his sanity. And though he was feeling lower than ever before, he could help but to wonder if it were possible for matters to get worse faster than they improved. The clock over the range in the kitchen could be heard all the way in the sitting area by the television, at least to him it could. Maybe his ears were tender; perhaps there was no clock at all. Perhaps time was playing a callous trick by using its inanimate vessel of measurement to reveal the waywardness of those who blindly adhered to its rhythmic and eternal tick-tock.

Despite all of the accolades that adorned the champagne colored walls, one disturbing question remained unanswered.

_How could I let this happen? _

It was a relative question, relative to each of the strings of his heart that were stubbornly resilient against even the sharpest cut. A strong man physically and emotionally subdued by the turning and leaving of a force he'd never seen or heard of before was the burden placed upon the sofa. He felt a ton had been added to his personal weight.

During his period of self-denial, whose effects bled profusely into his morose present life, he left behind a weeping and wary trail of lacerated interests and sinking emotions. They finally had their final and lasting laugh that was continually promised to them by close friends and family. All of the women and sparing men who placed their hopes and hearts on the conveyer belt for Naruto were dancing their vengeful dance around his failing countenance for the price of their teary-eyed troubles, and he knew their pain in the most literal sense.

The sun was yet to be seen that morning, and the meager vegetation of the surrounding area had never ceased to thank Nature for the gift of rain the night before. The large pane windows that let the small amount of light into the loft were still wet. The drops on the glass brought tears to his eyes, for they were a striking reminder of his quivering wet lips under the thundering storm. What was there left to do? Say? He knew not where he was.

Charlotte was asleep when he got home the night before, that much he was relieved about. He detested the very idea of having to answer questions about why he was dripping wet and why he came back so late. The answer to those questions belonged to him and he'd fight to the death to keep them in his sole possession. He would do anything not to tamper with the memory that tauntingly threatened to leave him just as did its center. She didn't have to know, she wouldn't want to know.

There was a familiar stench in the air of his loft. It was one that only his nose could sense. It was the scent of incompletion and lack. He had known the sensation of the sticky, tangy sweetness of the love that many told him came at a price higher than he was willing to pay. But you know they say the best things in life are free. He longed to be lost in the mire once more, perhaps even forever. Or was that being greedy? He didn't care.

He didn't want anyone else to walk through the door. He wanted to leave and find him again. He wanted to search to the ends of the earth for him, despite his protests to go away. He wanted more than ever to disrespect the walls that blocked him from the best thing that ever happened to him. His helplessness nearly drove him to pull the blonde hair from his very scalp. There was nothing he could do without bringing about the collapse of everything he'd worked for. He prayed tearfully, woefully for the day when that would mean nothing to him.

Gaara's voice rang throughout the corridors of his mind like the singing of all that he found beautiful about humanity. It wasn't a sound he could shake or evade with a change in concentration, for, as he feared, the beautiful sound would follow him for the rest of his days. He refused to accept that it was all over.

He remembered how much of a burden it was to be alone during springtime. There was a brief knock at the door. It failed to extract a rise out of his heavy and sinking form. The knock persisted. Naruto lifted his head to look in the direction of the incessant knocking, as if to contemplate on whether the intruder was worthy of interrupting his sweet and precious inner weeping.

"Open up, it's Sakura. I lost my key again", came her muffled voice from behind the steel sliding door. She banged on the loudly reverberating surface again. "Open up, it's important"

The door slid open to reveal a man so crippled that his appearance would have better fancied a wheelchair and a cast. "What?"

Her perfectly shaped lips stood agape, struck in the moment of awe in which she witnessed her best friend deteriorating before her very eyes. She felt the urge to rush to his supporting aid out of irrational fear that he would soon fall to his knees. He needed her. He needed someone.

"What the hell happened to you?" She said as more of a demand to sit down and explain than a question. She closed the door behind her and led him back the couch that bore a large area of depression where he'd been sitting for the past hours. He still couldn't look her in the eyes any more than he could when he answered the door. His evasive countenance gave her a chilling suspicion as to the source of his condition. Perhaps the most chilling aspect was that should her suspicion hold true, there was nothing she could do for him, neither as a manager nor a friend.

He wanted to tell her, but the words were being blocked by the fortitude of his pride. He could never admit to her that his heart had been broken into infinitesimal pieces. It was too much for the image that she held for him in her bright shining eyes that were looking into him for the reason behind his sullenness.

His short and feigned laugh surprised and scared Sakura. "What's so funny?"

"You look like you saw a ghost"

"Up until now I was convinced that I had _so_ seen a ghost", she said with an incredulous air.

"I just had a little too much to drink last night"

Recollecting the numerous warnings she'd given him of the harrowing and everlasting effects of binge drinking, she sighed deeply, massaging her tense temples. "I don't have time to play 'Mommy' today"

"Then don't"

She shot him a stark glance before reaching into her briefcase to retrieve a stack of papers that strongly resembled a contract of some sort. It was far too early for any similar document to appear before him, but then again there wasn't much he could place on the weak shoulders of previous expectations anymore. She handed him the document, something she'd said she would never have to do.

"What is this?"

"Good question", she said sighing as she looked down at the thick stack of papers in her client's large hands. "Two representatives from Manhattan came into my office with it, along with a host of other things"

Naruto flipped through the pages with his brows knitted together in a furrowed suspicion. The words didn't mean very much to him, flattery coated the true meaning in mistrustful slime. He still couldn't quite wrap his mind around much of anything after the night before. His blissfully salacious departure rotated through every color of their kaleidoscope in his troubled mind. With everything seeming to change all at once, he didn't seem to find any reason to lift his countenance from its heavy prison or drudgery and complacency. Green eyes winked at him playfully despite his ever swelling woe and lament.

Sakura took the proposal from him when she could clearly see that the painfully numerous words weren't registering to him.

"Their offering you a job, Naruto"

"As what?"

"What else? A quarterback"

His dark expression softened faintly in disbelief. "This has to be some kind of joke. You mean to tell me that _the_ Giants want me to be their quarterback?"

"It shouldn't be that hard to believe. You have a Super Bowl ring freshly under your belt, and your career leading up to that has been impeccable at the very least"

Naruto combed his pulsating hands through his hair, still stiff from the product mixed with the rain. He thought it to be disrespectful to be so certain of something so quickly and ardently. He felt it to be offensive to all of his teammates, his home, his family, his wife's family, his fans and most importantly his rapture and sweet regard to leave LA without so much as a day to contemplate the decision. Perhaps he was being narrow-minded about his choice but he knew that there was a small window through which he could escape his misery and he had to seize the opportunity before it lost its power.

Words alone could not express the sharpness of the pain caused by the perfect finality of Gaara's departure. Staying in the same city would not only annoyingly perpetuate a fire that was never destined to be kindled but also allow the stubborn blaze to consume all entities that dared to challenge its searing wiles. He loved Gaara more than he could love another human being, perhaps with more zeal than he would ever love, but every faction of his life promoted the contrary. Regardless of his physical strength, he mental and emotional strengths were wearing harrowingly thin from the constant waging of war between his family and the one he desired to call his own.

The decision would bolster his career to newer and broader horizons, he was ashamed to admit to even himself that Charlotte would acquiesce to the choice by virtue of that fact alone, but his forgiving and understanding heart told him that she was only looking out for his best interest and that of their family. The same he expected of his father. There were so many questions that remained unanswered, yet their ambiguity failed to persuade him in the direction of the contrary. Draft picks wouldn't take place for several months but that never stopped any owner from getting the player he wanted, that much he learned from his father, and that much was his motivation for going the extra mile when training. He gave Sakura his answer.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

He couldn't be the only man who was forced to let go of someone that he's rather die than be without. He couldn't be the only one forced to cope with a loss of a lover so devastating that it was comparable to a physical death. Naruto fought bitterly for the strength to pull himself from the heated daze of his infatuation for Gaara but his strength proved to be nothing more than weakness in its most poignant form. He couldn't seem to see his ultimate goal through the blinding heat waves. This was only further confirmation for him.

"Yes"


	11. miss

_Yesterday my breath was taken away. Today I'm suffocating._

_I used to be limitless but that time has passed. I am faced with the sense of my own flesh._

_I'll do my best to remember everything that's happened since I last wrote._

_I left a mess back there but I guess you could say it wasn't completely my fault. I had plenty of help ruining my life. Then again, I didn't have much of life outside of him to begin with__. __That's a pretty sad confession to have to make to a journal. I guess you could say that it is my fault. I was the one who fell for him like a helpless idiot. I let him touch me when I knew he was married. I still remember his cold ring on my thigh. That isn't good. I'm not forgetting fast enough._

_Maybe if I go and get drunk, then I'll forget. Though, I've never really cared for alcohol. There must be something that could make me forget, there just has to be. I could get lost in my job, but then again I hate my jobs, both of them. _

_I could find a friend or two, but then again I'd probably bore them to death, I find myself sulking a lot lately, that's why they don't like me at my second job. There's this really nice boy and girl at my day job. They always ask me if I'm alright. They always invite me out to lunch but I never go, he used to take me to lunch all the time. There are so many places to eat here. I've never been in a place this huge before in my entire life. Just walking down the street is going to need some getting used to._

_There's so much to do here, so many places to go, even the homeless have a gleam in their eyes. _

_I wish he never touched me, but wishing is a waste of time. They keep the TV so loud in this place you can hear it all the way in the break room. It's that time of year again._

_I hate this time of year. It's a good thing I've trained myself not to look at the screen, if I see him again I'll get knocked back to where I started. This isn't fair but it's my reality and I have to deal with it. There won't be any more divine hands reaching from the sky for me and there will no longer be a black sports car there to rescue me from my domestic peril. _

_My break is almost over so I'd better cut to the chase. _

_My life has taken an interesting turn, but the more important aspects of my life have more or less remained constant. I wish this weren't true but it is. I felt like I was running for my life that night. I had to do something, I knew he would be angry when I left, and I also knew that she would pick up on it and tie me to it, I had to act fast._

_I packed all of my things in a compressible suitcase and I left the rest, I found that furniture in the back of a warehouse anyway. The only thing that wasn't in a bag was a stuffed monkey that he won for me at a Mexican carnival we went to around this time last year. He showed up at my door at about midnight and said that there was a carnival on the north side by the airport. It was a thirty minute drive but it was worth it. I sucked his cock on the way there. No one there spoke English and we had to faux-sign everything to the employees. He won me that monkey at the attraction with the bell and the giant hammer; I can never remember what it's called. He looked like nothing I've ever seen in my life in his leather jacket under the flickering lights with his hair wishing by in the night breeze. I didn't want him to take me home but I'd never let him know. _

_A while back I found an old letter from a university here in New York. It was a very good university but I was too afraid to move that far away from home. The people there are much nicer and I've even grown close to a few people there. This was considered by my hometown a place of great evil and shame. I was beginning to understand the fallacy of this legend. I didn't get the same stares I got in LA, much less Bienville. For short period of the day when I'm at home and not being shaken down for whatever money I don't have, I actually enjoy being here. _

_I'm renting a cramped studio unit in a worse neighborhood than the one in LA. I've been 'robbed' twice already but that was a while ago. I put the quotations around that word because when I get robbed they leave with nothing, because on the average day I have nothing. I never carry cash or valuables on me anyway, but it doesn't really matter because I usually never have cash or valuables. _

_But back to the story._

_I love my new school but since I'm working now, I can't use my mom's income as much anymore for financial aid purposes and I had to get a second job. I changed my major to Classical Ballet. There are enough make-up artists to go around but I figured it was time to do something that interested me. I've been dancing as a hobby since high school; I guess I never really thought I'd get anywhere. Now's as good a time as any to give it a try._

_Some weeks I don't even remember what events occurred from the last week. I shouldn't be calm about that. My first job is at a new catering business. I walk around weekend events in Manhattan asking rich and famous people 'would you like some keesh? Shrimp ball'. The tips are fucking legit. Those weekends are actually pretty interesting. Manhattan is such a glorious place to be. My second job is, as you can probably guess, at a dance club only this time the manager is grimier, the other dancers are bigger sluts and bigger asswipes, and the cage is bigger. It's called 'Red', a name that gave me more chills then when I had to all but ride my boss to get a job there. He said he'll fire me at the end of the month if I won't let him fuck me. I can't afford to lose that job. _

_Oh well…He seems like the type to cum fast. I hate that he put me into this situation. He's a disgusting man and he repulses every inch of my soul. The only man I've ever been with was Naruto; I wonder how long it will stay that way._

_I wonder where Naruto is now and if he's thinking about me. I wouldn't expect him to. I pushed him away. My dad used to say 'one can't expect another to get close to them when one pushes another away'. Then again, he only said that when he was slapping my mother around the house. I'd rather not go there today._

_It's been a while since I've seen his name anywhere except for in my mind. Seeing it on paper probably defeats the purpose of coming in here where there's no TV to hear about the draft picks for the NY Giants. It'll be even worse on that night. I hate working for a catering company. She'll be there, all of his friends, his parents and they'll all have to see me like this; the ultimate confirmation that Charlotte was right. I don't belong with him, she does. I don't know how I can say that, considering how I feel. _

_I thought moving here would give me a chance to get over him but as usual running away hasn't proved to be very effective for me. Now he's only two subway rides and a few blocks away from me. The CelebNews Channel said that he'd relocated to Chelsea. Some people have been saying that it was stupid for him to relocate like that before he even knew if he got picked. But I know better. Naruto never does anything unless he's sure. It's hard to breathe when I think about the time he said that to me. I had to pinch myself because I didn't think I was awake. If I weren't dreaming then everything I thought about myself in relation to love was a lie. It was because I wasn't dreaming, I had never been more awake. I suppose all of this is ok as long as I keep where I live a secret. Maybe he won't even see me, maybe he'll be so hurt by me leaving that he's still wrapped in the solace of his family, maybe he wants nothing to do with me. As much as it hurts to think like that, it is, like my mother used to say, 'thinking with one head instead of two'. I can trust that I will keep my feelings suppressed, for my mother's sake I have no choice. But what he will do when or if he sees me is yet to be discovered soon._

_This isn't fair at all but this is my reality and I must accept it. I had better get back to work before I lose this job. I can hear them calling my name._

* * *

><p>Four corners of a single object all connected either directly or by way of another, can this be a soft spoken punch line? They littered the old vacuum of space with a prevailing dominance that captivated the residents. Naruto took a lasting glance at the lack of openness in their new home of love. The morning sun was just beginning to reveal itself amongst the skyline of New York.<p>

The maze-like abode was settled in the heart of the historic district of Chelsea. The large and unusually warm abode was originally constructed during the eve of the Second World War and renovated by the hands of out-of-work soldiers returning from the Persian Gulf. The walls were a deep crimson, the color chosen by the previous owner. The walls were a constant reminder of what he left back in LA, and matters were made worse by the lack of variation in his sight due to the fact that there was no furniture to cover the taunting walls. They mocked him relentlessly for being a hapless coward, for leaving his dignity and pride behind for his precious image. He could only wonder where he was, much like he wondered since the moment of their rainy departure.

Charlotte had hired a real estate agent before he had even informed her of his decision to leave LA. She said that she'd been eyeing Chelsea since she was a little girl. The old and historically charming buildings, quaint cafes on every corner, its close proximity to Manhattan, the best boutiques in the country, it entailed everything that a deserving woman could ask for. But there was something that neither of them anticipated. Kushina.

She came up to their door step, bypassing the population of hired movers, the day before they were scheduled for a flight to New York. She had tears in her eyes and she demanded to speak to Naruto. A baffled worker fetched him and she began to pour out a weeping plea for him not to leave LA and to earnestly reconsider his plans with Charlotte and their son. He was not only hurt by her accusation that followed but enraged, Charlotte watched from afar with Naruto Jr. by her side as Naruto berated his mother for being a scheming, lying excuse for a mother and demanding that she never breathe a word to his family ever again.

He could never fathom that his wife could stoop to such depths just to deter someone away from her marriage; especially Gaara. And the accusation that his son didn't belong to him sent him over the edge. She claimed that his father was behind her only to earn Minato the same exile from Naruto's furious and betrayed heart.

He poked into the kitchen littered with boxes and searched for the box that contained the box cutter, only to realize that he would need one to open whatever box that contained it. Dispensing of the mental foil, he ripped open the one labeled 'kitchen drawer 7'. In it were a few t-lights, a screw driver and a photo that had been torn in half. One piece was the image of Naruto with his arm draped around someone, the other half was of a fence covering the other person, and all that could be seen was the top of their head, red as the whispering rose. It was the picture that appeared in the tabloids when he first met Gaara and had taken him out to eat, the one that earned him a fierce scolding from his fair haired manager. He'd never seen Sakura so angry in his life.

And the picture lying in his grasp brought back the memories of that day and how there was not a single thing that graced the surface of the Earth that could take his mind off of Gaara. He wouldn't admit that this was still the case; the only difference was that he had grown more adept at concealing it. He recalled the coy yelp he made when he sneezed, the way he tried to hide how hungry he was, the way he jolted slightly when he put his arm around him, the way his lips reminded him of when the sunset stays beautiful for just a moment longer than it usually does, the small of his back, the way his skin warmed under Naruto's touch, the way he shivered when he came inside him. He could feel his member begin to harden.

He hadn't known the feeling of intimacy in several months. He wondered if Gaara had slept with anyone after him, or if he was even Gaara's first. _It could've been a ploy to turn me on_, he thought. Then he remembered the way he clung to his shoulders that night in the shower. There was no mistaking that he was taking a step onto new grounds.

It struck him, however, as to why the picture was ripped in half, let alone cut out of the magazine in the first place. Before he could further derive meaning from his discovery the back door opened, letting in his wife after her morning run.

"Hey babe", she called from inside the foyer coming into the kitchen wiping her forehead with a towel. She came into the kitchen staring at two halves of a torn picture, she quickly handed off the used linen to one of the maids that appeared in the doorway before coming over to kiss him.

_Lügen_

"I missed you on my run this morning"

"I wanted to get started on some of the unpacking"

"Honey, we hired people to do that, they'll be here tomorrow afternoon"

Naruto angrily threw the picture down onto the granite counter top. "Why do we have to hire everybody in the fucking state to unpack for us?"

Charlotte took a small step back, fixing her stare suspiciously into his eyes. "Is everything alright?"

He looked down at her picking half of the picture back up. "Where did you get this from?"

"Sweetheart, one of the maids probably cut it out, I see them reading those filthy magazines all the time", she said cupping his stubbly chin. "And its only 5:00, it's still early enough for you to shave for tonight", she said before disappearing around the corner leading up to the stairs.

The official draft picks would be taking place that night and he was ambivalent on attending at all.

The setting of the sky began to grow brighter and Naruto decided to take a later trip to the 24 hour gym down the street. The wind tussled his hair gently as he walked down the sidewalk, passing a few people who knew who he was. The redness taking form in the sky gave him a strong incentive to push his body to a newer limit that morning. Perhaps if he pushed his body hard enough he could somehow annihilate his stubborn. It was a silly aspiration but he chose to chase it for the time being.

* * *

><p>"You're wasting your time. He doesn't want anything to do with either of us"<p>

A vacuum cleaner could be heard running in the next room, constantly bumping into legs of chairs, tables, and walls, sucking every spec from the designer carpet. Kushina brushed a lock of hair behind her left ear before massaging temples.

Their cleaning staff was performing its monthly cleaning of the entire manor. From pool to parkway, garden to garage, every square foot had to be scoured to absolute perfection lest the woman of the house suffer a conniption.

"I don't understand why we have to turn this place upside down every fucking month anyway", Minato reached into the breast pocket of his robe to retrieve a lighter to ignite his cigar. "Half the rooms in this place don't see a face for most of the year".

She sighed. "I can't maintain my sanity in a house this big unless it's clean", she folded her arms across her chest as she sat against the headboard of their bed. Minato scoffed at her rationale as he took a breath of the tobacco at the small breakfast table in the open space of their large bedroom.

The sun was high and blazing; noon was only a few hours away.

The constant bumping against the wall ensued.

"And what do you mean?"

"Just what I said, he wants the both of us out of his life", she sighed deeply again. "After I told him, I've never seen him look at me….talk to me that way". She turned away to look out at the light coming into the bedroom bay window. "We've lost him".

"No we haven't"

"Minato, I'm not making this up. He's furious with us!"

"No, he's in denial", he got up and went to the liquor cabinet neighboring the bathroom entrance before pouring himself a glass of scotch. "Unfortunately, partly on my behalf"

"Can't you at least wait until noon to drink yourself into an early grave?"

He turned around with a smirk. "It's never too early", he said taking a quick gulp. "Not for anything"

"Well I don't suppose you have a plan"

"Oh how you doubt me, K"

"I have good reason to"

"Fair, but not this time", he said confidently. "I didn't want to do this but I'm afraid we'll have to"

"What are you talking ab-", she stopped mid-sentence when she discovered the spark behind his sureness. "You couldn't, y-you mustn't…"

"I can and I will"

"…."

"I've become a lot of things over my lifetime, but a liar isn't one of them", he said placing the glass back in the cabinet. "And it don't plan on becoming one anytime soon"

"…"

"Especially when my son is concerned"

"He'll be crushed", she said fearfully. "If he finds out that all of us knew, he may never trust anyone ever again"

Minato smiled as he felt an inner tugging at the fortress that allowed him to fend off emotion and feeling. As a man in his profession, looking for perfection was a prerequisite. He, in the moment that vacuum in the other room finally stopped and was unplugged, began to sense perfection nearby.

"Somehow, I believe you're wrong, my dear"

* * *

><p>A foul stench encased the area of LA where Donovan-Murchisons resided. It reached from the top of the middle-aged living facility to the lyrically draining sewers ducts down below. When driving by the front of the complex, one could see the carcass of a mutilated skunk in the shoulder lane of the road. Skunks were uncommon in that area yet they're dead bodies seemed to be ever-present on the roads of that section of LA.<p>

The older members of the community sometimes said that dead skunks were a sign of great tumult either in the community as a whole or in a specific residents' life. Marcia Murchison's car pulled into the parking lot and stopped in one of the guest spots. She was carrying a copy of a police report and her leopard print styling tool belt that she wore around the salon. She'd never forgotten to take it off until that day. Stopping for a brief moment at the tremendous malodor in the immediate atmosphere, she raced up the stairs to her father's unit on the second level. She heard a silent weeping through the door before putting her key in the lock.

Gabriel was sitting in Harold's chair with a blank and ghastly expression on his aged face. He turned to his only daughter with a dejected look. "If that PR in your hand is for Harold you're wasting your time."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" She came in and sat down in the chair in which he normally sat when Harold came around. "You said he up and left and didn't say where he was going"

"Well you hung up the phone before I could finish!"

"Don't yell, I'm not deaf"

"Sorry"

Marcia Ran her hands through her hair. "Where did he go?"

Gabriel sighed. "If I'm not mistaken, he went to New York"

She paused for a brief moment to process what her father told her. "What?"

"Yep"

She massaged her temples before looking back up at her father's worried eyes. "You know what? This man is going to give you a heart attack, I've told you-"

"Can we please not go there?"

"I think we should go there, dad" she said raising her voice. "Ever since his company went under, he's become a madman looking for any possible way to sneak back into his precious grandson's life and he's dragging you along for the ride, leaving without telling you where he's going, staying away for days at a time, taking out all different kinds of loans, hiring every fucking private investigator in the state of fucking California, and now he's all the way across the whole goddamn country trying to get close to man who thinks his grandfather is dead!"

Gabriel sat silently.

"Dad I know you love him and I know you two have been together for a very long time, but you have to think about your health"

"And your point is.."

"My point is, I think you need to come stay with m-"

"No"

"You didn't let me finish"

"I know what you're going to say and I'm not coming to live with you"

"And why not?"

"You have a son; specifically a 13 year old son who's going through puberty, having a grandfather there can be very awkward for him at this stage in his life"

"I'll tell him to keep his masturbation down to a minimum"

"You know he's still adjusting to the fact that his grandfather is gay"

"And what better what to help him adjust than to have his gay grandfather living with him", she said with a smirk.

Gabriel laughed. "You're really not giving up on this are you"

"Nope"

He sighed deeply. "How about I stay with you _until _Harold gets back-"

"Whenever that'll be", she said under her breath.

"And if I like it there then I'll _consider _discussing with him the possibility of living with you"

"Fair enough"

Marcia got up. "Well since I left work to look for your crazy partner we might as well get something to eat, my treat"

"I'll get my shoes", he said as he struggled to get out of the back-un-friendly recliner. His back cracked audibly as he walked to their bedroom closet.

"You must be pretty worried to be sitting in that thing"

"Can you blame me?" His voice was muffled behind the bedroom and closet doors. "New York is a dangerous place"

She scoffed. "Right, because LA is regular Stepford Heaven"

"You know what I mean", he said emerging.

"He must really love that boy"

"He's not a boy anymore; he's a grown man now."

* * *

><p>The heat of the evening air rose with an esteemed grace as the façade of the sun fell beneath the mortal line of sight. It had been announced many months in advance that there would be an upscale event surrounding the announcement of the draft picks. The addicts of glamour from New York and a few other states garnered everything they could in their local arsenal of power to make themselves presentable in the eyes of their much worshipped god of fame and precious notoriety.<p>

The venue had recently gone through many renovations before the event came around. The owner of the building transformed its purpose into that of a lounge meant for the young adult crowd upon purchasing it from a man arrested for human trafficking charges.

Previously, the building was a brilliant assurance of the beauty of modern architecture, on the outside. Inside it was a danger to all that were nonsensical enough to walk through it. Wires and pipes that jutted brutishly from the ceiling were simply painted with the same white paint that covered the cracks and lesions that disgraced the walls and floors.

Upon hearing of the prospect of the draft picks' urgency for a suitable venue, Rhukiev Armanpour decided that it was the perfect opportunity to adhere to the public inspectors that paid him monthly visits with written gifts that were beginning to cause him a financial toil. Yes, before he was forced to pay another fine for what his dwindling totality of patrons were beginning to call a 'shit hole in a bigger shit hole'.

He hired his brother, on a work visa from St. Petersburg, to rewire the entire electrical system, he had the walls of the main portion of the facility knocked out, replaced and repainted.

Although the renovations were successful in making the interior concur with the exterior, the funds that went into the ceilings and walls had to come out of the paychecks of the bartenders, wait staff, cashiers, bouncers, and all else whose name was on Armanpour's payroll. He was a parsimonious and callous man of only 30 years wishing to squeeze every cent out of every endeavor, whilst turning a blind eye to all injuries incurred in the process.

Realizing this fact as soon as possible, his staff began to hand in there resignation one by one, some by way of handwritten notions or emails, some by way of abrupt absence, some by heated cursing. With only a few days standing tauntingly in between his barren lounge and the blinding light of the draft pick night, he had to find someone to serve all of the a-list guest s that would be standing on his brand new floors, now covered in marble.

His situation seemed hopeless until he came across an ad in the newspaper posted by a less-than-new event company going by the name of _Maine Event. _Ironically the name of the founder of the business was Sandra Maine. Rhukiev had heard of her business before but never thought he needed her as long as his downtrodden and underpaid minions muttered not a word of complaint. When they abandoned him, he decided to give Sandra's nest a call.

_With a friendly, attentive, and experienced staff of chef's, waiters, planners, designers, valets, and doormen at your service, Maine Event is guaranteed to make your soirée a success._

And a success it was as the night began to unfold.

The red carpet of lies and fragmentation was rolled out as, only about 30 minutes east and a few blocks over the expected star of the evening was adjusting his bow tie that complimented an elegant Armani suit. His dread for the evening's trappings and accessories, he was still being drafted to another team to do what he wanted to do more than almost anything. When he looked in the square mirror, his blue eyes weren't what they used to be, it was as if there was a paucity of the fire and luster that granted them the radiant hue of the recent past.

_Sich schӓmen_

NJ was across the hall being told a bedtime story by the nanny. Naruto stood in front of the mirror in the hallway beside the entrance to their bedroom. They had only been in their abode for less than a month and it seemed that everywhere he walked he was looking at a reflection of himself. But he knew that with as much happiness Chelsea brought her he could never bring himself to admit his discomfort about their home teeming with mirrors.

It was beginning to become difficult to breathe when Charlotte appeared from around the corner in a recherché and tastefully glittering gown perfectly framed her breasts and coyly drew attention to her figure. Her rich brown hair fell feebly beside her dramatic eyes and bold red lips. Naruto stood dumbfounded. If ever there was a notion that she viewed her position as his wife with any ambivalence, it was decimated when she was borne out of her bedroom.

"Well?" She turned around a few times. "How do I look?"

The dress was backless.

His mouth stood agape as he struggled for the proper words to say. In all of the years he'd known her, he had never felt such an outward exertion of the culmination of pride inside her manifested in an aura that made it a struggle for him to even speak. For one unbeknownst moment he was led astray from his interminable pining for Gaara into the deep and alluring current of womanly energy that was being effortlessly transpired by his wife. It was even present in his mind the thought that maybe this same energy was what could finally break the blissful spell that was cast over his tumultuous heart when he first laid eyes on him.

"You hate it"

"You're beautiful", he said finally finding his tongue. "You're beautiful"

She picked up the small portion of her gown that draped over her bare feet and approached his taller form before his hand swam around her wait to her bare back, the coolness of his flesh making her shiver subtly. In that moment he was convinced that if their impassioned love for each other did not change its intensity from that of that very moment, his life with his family and without Gaara would be a few steps away from suicide. Their met before their lips did the same. How shamelessly he had tossed Gaara aside in that moment, he thought to himself. Charlotte could feel the apprehension inside of him pulling him away slowly. She pulled back. She could see in his deep blue eyes that he wanted her. She ran her hand gently down his firm chest and slowed to a stop right above his belt.

Her eyes followed the trail left by her seductive hands back up to his eyes. "We better go". She smirked at him before turning away to return to the bedroom to retrieve her shoes and purse. He smiled back her, the first time he'd done so in longer than he could recall. When she removed her presence from him, another familiar returned. Yet this time it was different. And it was reassured by the idea that he would never have to see Gaara ever again.

_Is that really it? Is it over? Was tonight some sort of sign that Gaara's out of my life for good? I almost feel guilty that it happened that fast. But should I? After all, she is my wife and we do have a son together. What about him? I've been such an idiot all this time. I've been chasing around this twink from GodKnowsWhere, Louisina when my whole life was standing right in front of me. _

_Or am I just saying this to rationalize my way out of thinking about him? But what for? I'll never see him again. For all I know he could still be on the other side of the country._

_Whatever the case, for the first time since I can remember, I can't wait to come back home and make love to my wife. _

Even in his mind, the words tugged at something inside him that had been there for more than a few years. Charlotte emerged from their room a second time slightly taller than before.

"Ready?" She said as she briefly paused at the top of the stairs. He simply smiled and followed her down the winding staircase before walking out to the car. Naruto took a deep sigh of relief before turning the foyer light off and closing the door behind him. He'd left Martin behind to be hired by someone else as a driver in LA; his new driver was a younger man from Laos named Nitram. He'd been recommended by one of Charlotte's friends that lived in New York once before but now lived in Houston.

Having a driver was more practical in New York, Charlotte kept stressing in lieu of Naruto's black car sitting on the side of the road in front of their house. He hadn't driven it since the first night they spent there, an act that was better off abstained from in Naruto's eyes due to the actions that happened inside.

When their eyes met the outside sky, the blackness of night had already begun its noble dance. A sudden and unexpected crack of thunder nearly sent Naruto into cardiac arrest before he reached out to open the door for his wife to enter the vehicle. _It couldn't be. It's only rain. It's been on the forecast for weeks now. _

"We'd better get a move on Mr. Uzumaki. Ms. Haruno and Mr. Uchiha are expecting us", said the driver from the front seat, knocking him out of his momentary period of irrational fear. When the couple was secured in the car the black Lincoln rolled leisurely down the street and on to the coming spectacle.

* * *

><p>In the slums where Gaara had not so long ago departed from, a telephone call reached a lonely household.<p>

"What?"

"_It's me"_

"…"

"…"

"What do you want? I already told you what I wanted and not to call me unless you have it"

"_I do"_

She stopped at the sudden pause of her heartbeat. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "You do?"

"_Yes, but there's been a change of plans"_

"What do you mean?"

"_The option of me bringing him to you isn't open anymore", he said gravely. "You'll have to go to him"_

"Are you kidding me? You've heard the news, they're all the way on the other side of the fucking country; I can barely afford to pay on my bus card"

"_Listen to me carefully; I'm only going to say this once. It's only 9:00; you have plenty of time to pack a few things. Be up and ready at 5, there will be a car out front to take you to me at the airport"_

"Are you coming with me?"

"_My wife and I are going"_

The words gave her the ultimate chilling of disappointment. "Your wife?"

"_Yes"_

"Do you think he'll still remember me? It's been almost two years"

"…_.."_

"Please tell me, I won't be able to sleep if I don't hear it from someone"

"_A boy always remembers his mother"_

"Thank you", she said tearfully. "For everything"

"_Don't thank me, I'm not doing this for your son", he said. "I'm doing it for mine"_

* * *

><p>From the inside of Armanpour's, the waitstaff stood in the kitchen looking out of the side door at all of the celebrity clientele coming into the door. They were filling the room along with the up tempo music playing in the background. Rhukiev could be seen approaching the backroom where they were conversing. He burst through the double doors in a sarcastic huff, something that was to be expected when he felt as though his money was not being put to good use.<p>

"What's the chit chat about folks?" He said in a thick Russian accent.

A blonde waitress was the only one unfamiliar enough with to answer one of his famous trap questions. "Just eyeing the clientele tonight Mr. Armanpour"

"Well here's an idea", he said noisily snatching a silver tray from the pile behind him. "Why don't you get your lazy asses out there and start serving the 'clientele' champagne like I paid your boss 6 fucking thousand dollars for you to do!" He said before slinging the tray at the brick wall behind the stove before barking more orders.

"And I thought I hired 20 waiters, why the fuck do I only see 19?!"

The frazzled blonde pointed out at the only waiter outside serving champagne, a slender red-headed youth with whom the guests seemed to be taking a liking. Rhukiev turned to the other staff and shooed them out of the kitchen to leave the chefs to their jobs. This was the norm of many of the events that Gaara was invited to wait at. Sandra had a system in place for choosing waiters that only he seemed to understand, puzzling the others as to why he got the most work.

_Don't drop anything; I swear if you drop something…._

Being poised and graceful was never his forte especially when walking around people he'd seen on TV on regular basis. Too concentrated on not spilling champagne on someone's shoes, Gaara naturally refrained from being star struck. He was suddenly reminded of when he would help his father home with the groceries, how he was warned time and time again not to drop anything. If he did he get a short beating, his mother wasn't so lucky. Her punishment for dropping things ensued when he was too drunk to think their son was awake. _They're people just like you, _he kept telling himself. _Just don't drop anything._

About thirty minutes went by before he heard a familiar noise coming from the sky above them all that would judge equally without fail. Thunder. The black car was nearing the lounge, whether or not he was being silly or superstitious meant nothing to Gaara at the moment, all he could think about was making it from the back counter where he had to carefully load the breakable glasses and bringing them back to the floor where guest, like normal people, were eager to get drunk.

_Don't drop anything._

It was the first time and, he hoped, the last time he would ever have to be in a situation where he had to serve all of the most important people in Naruto's life, all in one sitting at least. That was all he could hope in his own realm of oddities. If only everyone knew what was going on beneath the flaming hair, he thought. He could hear the slight percussing of rain drops on the roof of the lounge. The car was outside. Gaara's heart began to beat so quickly that his breath couldn't stand a chance. Pink, Sakura entered, closing her umbrella. Black, Sasuke entered behind her taking her coat and handing it to one of the servers. His disquieting breathing began to garner unwanted attention as he saw a man approaching him.

_Don't drop anything. Ask them if they want more champagne._

He'd seen the approaching man on the news as a recurring sports reporter. "You ok man?"

"I'm fine thank you", he said in the most polite way he knew how. "More champagne?" The man sympathetically declined out of fear that even the slightest motion from the younger man would leave him unconscious on the floor. Gaara turned to walk away to find someone else to take his mind off of the sudden rise of temperature in the room, when suddenly he'd lost sight of Sakura. Terrified by the prospect of her looking to confront him he quickly averted his direction closer to the entrance where she once saw her.

_Don't drop anything._

The rain outside had soaked the red carpet making the ritual unfit for the turn of events at the hands of nature. A tear rolled down Gaara's cheek.

_Damn! This wasn't supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to leave and never see him again. It was supposed to be my turn to have a normal life. My mom got hers and I was supposed to get mine. Why is this happening to me? Now they'll all think I'm stalking him and I'll get fired and have to be one of the dignified beggars I see outside my window at night. Not to mention if Charlotte sees me here she'll send Mama back to prison. I can't lose this job. I have to get out of here. I'll lie tell Rhukiev that I'm liable to puke all over the place. If only I can just-_

"It's the man of the hour!" Sasuke yelled from an unknown corner of the room. When Gaara turned to look for the direction of the cause of this proclamation, his form caught the gaze of a pair of shocked and stunned eyes. Sakura seemed to be frozen in time as she gazed upon the man who'd left her best friend's life in a rainy haze only to reappear on the biggest night of his life. Just as she began to approach him, He could see Charlotte entering the room on a man's arm. In the brevity of the instance he saw a small tattoo on the man's hand that belonged to a man he once knew. The time had come for his demise, he thought.

He turned quickly to go to the side door of the back room when another drunken journalist cut his path short causing him to drop a few splashes of champagne onto his pants. The man looked at him with an alcoholic fire in his eyes.

"Watch where you're going you fucking faggot!"

"I'm so sorry", he said trying his best to blend his voice in amongst the moderate volume of the crowd as he pulled out a cloth from the breast pocket of his vest behind his gold name tag and handed it to the disgruntled guest.

Before Charlotte or the 'man of the hour' could see him he quietly made his way to the back where he placed the tray of champagne where the blonde server was so consumed with filling enough glasses to meet the demand that she didn't even notice him. The bathrooms were well hidden from the main portion of the lounge and making it difficult to get to safety in time. Before Gaara could burst through the doors to his temporary solace where which Rhukiev would eventually find him…

"What the fuck are you doing here."

It was such a grave and low tone that he nearly didn't recognize her. He couldn't bring himself to turn around, seeing her face would remind him of another and send him to the very place from which he felt like he'd been running for nearly three years. Her sympathy for him had run its course, that much he knew for sure.

"First you nearly end his career, then you nearly end his marriage, then you ruin his relationship with is best friend, his child and his parents, then you leave without as much as an explanation. And then when he even begins to try to start a normal life, you show back to do _more damage?"_

"…"

"I trusted you, his mother trusted you, hell, we all trusted you!"

Gaara began to recall something his aunt once told him about running.

"You're a bigger snake than she is"

_Stop_

Gaara whipped around and rushed up to Sakura making her take a few steps back, eventually backing her into the wall. "Let me get something through your pretty little blonde head. I never wanted a goddamned thing from you or your best friend or his precious mother. He wanted me. I'm the one who had to fight off his fag-hating dad and his cunt wife. And it was ME who was trying to start over. I came to Brooklyn to go to college because SHE was threatening to put my mother back in prison for blowing my goddamned father's brains out like he fucking deserved if I didn't 'back off of her husband', who by the way has been stalking me for the past two years. In fact the only reason why I'm in this shithole or dancing naked in an overgrown bird cage or waiting tables for rude drunks is to keep enough coins in my pocket so my landlord doesn't put my ass out on the street! So don't you dare accuse me of ruining your precious Naruto's picture perfect life, ok?

"All I ever did was love him and for that I had to sit on my ass every fucking day and watch him slobbering all over his slut bitch wife, who didn't give a damn about up until a few years ago, all over every channel, every news headline, every magazine cover, being called a slut and a home wrecker and 'a crime to the American family at its prime' by every sports reporter and political analyst with a mic and a camera, not to mention getting shot at, burglarized, getting the shit kicked out of me in a back alley, and having my mother back on trial for something that happened FIFTEEN FUCKING YEARS AGO!"

"And guess what I get to do. I get to go back out there and work for the rest of the night because the owner is the biggest cheapskate on the east coast and if I walk out I'll most likely lose the job that pays enough to pay for tuition. Thanks to you-know-who, I can't apply for financial aid anymore because SURELY I can't tell my dean that some jealous conniving whore ran me out of town. And guess whose outside? Charlotte! The jealous conniving whore

"And the minute she sees me she's going to get on the phone, call up whoever she's fucking over at the Louisiana DA's office and have my mother in the electric chair by tomorrow morning because surely since we're in the same city I must be somewhere stuffing Naruto's cock in my mouth. Oh, and it's a good thing your old pal Sasuke didn't see me because the last time we spoke he said he'd punch me out if he ever saw me again", he said with his voice dripping sarcasm.

"…"

"You see?" He said before he went out to retrieve his serving tray with which he would acquiesce to his potential demise. A ray of tears fell from his green eyes. "It's him that ruined _my_ life. But I don't have a fancy manger to fix my problems. Nor do I have the time to sit around and cry about them", he said before he reached the door. "In fact I shouldn't cry too much. You see after I leave here I have to go to my other job, you know, the one with the overgrown bird cage. My boss won't like it if my eyes are all puffy. Because if I don't swallow his load, he says I'm fired, I hear that's how it works where the pay you a lot"

Sakura placed a weak hand over her mouth as she wept helplessly.

"Welcome to the real world", he said as he made his exit.

The door swung back twice once revealing the absence of Gaara and a second time to see Sakura against the wall still reeling from the unfortunate details of a life that she didn't know was so close to her. She'd protected and defended Naruto with all of her might; little did she know that he was allowing his passions to destroy someone else. She stood against the wall with a ghastly expression, laden with guilt that she would even so much as equate his life with scheming of Charlotte. She picked up her hand bag and stepped into the women's restroom.

The room was beginning to loosen as the rain poured on outside. Gaara was almost positive that Naruto was in the room somewhere. Yet, there was a quality in his eyes that spelled heedlessness towards any notion that things could get any worse. He could see him and Charlotte on the other side of the room speaking with another couple. There was quite a bit of distance between them, yet he felt as if Naruto was only inches away. Not wishing to allow haplessness transform into calamity, he made sure that whenever Naruto searched the crowd for a person of more meaning to him, he was not in his line of sight. This was craftily done without disappointing the requirements of his job.

When his tray of keesh was empty he would quickly look down to see if his face showed any testimony of the wrathful lamenting he'd done to Sakura. He felt slightly guilty for releasing his frustrations on him when she returned to the lounge after nearly an hour. They exchanged quick glacial looks before they began to tend to their own affairs amongst high society; one dwelling, one serving.

As Gaara made his rounds, making sure to avoid the sections of the two-story lounge to which he migrated, he began to feel a heat within, ha warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. _This is neither the time nor the place to rekindle anything, remember what happened in LA, everything that happened. _

His inner words were futile. He couldn't help standing aloof at the edge of a pillar and gazing upon him. He was sitting upstairs in the VIP room with some other players. He was in a club chair, looking out at the crowd below. The other men and women in the room, including Charlotte, seemed to be preoccupied in conversation. Instead of shaving his beard, he shaped it into a fine cut, his chin was rested in between his index and middle fingers, the way he always did when he was thinking. His blonde hair was slicked back, revealing his statuesque and gallant facial features. His blue eyes seemed to be fixated on something in the air. Gaara turned around, following the direction Naruto's gaze to see that he was staring the large window revealing the pouring outside. Their eyes both soon were captivated by the display.

To everyone else, it was an inconvenience to be dealt with when it was time to call a cab to go home, nothing to pay attention to, for there were more important things to fret over. But to them it was a clandestine vista of the heated passion that was sleeping inside the both of them, brought on by the forced suppression of a world that lacked the perspicacity to know how much they wanted each other.

Gaara stood under the overhanging of the second floor where a dark shadow engulfed him. Naruto sighed deeply into the emptiness of the room that surrounded him.

The darkness that surrounded him brought an unexpected smile to his lips as the image of Naruto's arms replaced the darkness in the most beautiful way. No one was there. There was only the two of them. Even though he didn't know he was only one flight of stairs was, he felt every fiber of his being affirm that the both of them were on a single accord.

The rain outside drove Gaara to run his hands through his hair, to exhale all of the rotten and gritty and bleeding and eruptive feelings that he felt towards the situation concerning the man he could not deny he loved with a scorching passion, to begin to sweat, to yearn to be cooled by the pouring rain. The alluring promise of a quenched and annihilated fire at the hands of a falling blue rain pulled at him incessantly.

The VIP room was beginning to grow too cold, prompting the blonde haired man to leave and take a post leaning against the balcony. He smelled a familiar smell as he leaned in closer, he could shake the feeling there was someone near him that he'd seen before. Before he could look down Sasuke grabbed him by the shoulder.

"What the fuck are you doing out here? They're about to announce the draft picks", he said playfully as the two of them.

The process went by slowly and precariously. Gaara stood in the back as the players came forth and said a few words to the coaches and owners. His stomach was in knots, he knew at any moment Rhukiev was going to be thanked for having the event at his lounge and subsequently he was going thank the wait staff before he barked at us to clean up behind the departing guests.

They called Naruto's name as the new Quarterback of the NY Giants. The room rang loudly in applause. Everyone seemed to be surprised at the finesse of Naruto's plan to move to NY before he knew he was picked, except for Gaara. He inched further into the back of the crowd of servers until his back was pressed against the wall. He could go neither left nor right; he would be in the line of sight.

He could see Naruto up on the stage speaking to the cameras and reporters that showed up less than an hour prior. Charlotte was standing behind him. Her eyes were like lasers, searing through the crowd for any threats, blips or irregularities under her dominion. _If I can just get to the back until he leaves, they won't see me. _

_This is fucking crazy_

Gaara moved slowly behind the clump of servers when he heard the retrenching phrase 'Armanpour and his wonderful staff for this event'. The crowds gaze turned to the group of servers standing in a far corner with the exception of one, who was nowhere to be seen.

The power couple stepped down from their distinction from the crowd and Charlotte motioned for Naruto to lean down to her level. "I'm going to catch up with an old girlfriend of mine, and then we can get back home and go back to where we left off", she whispered softly into his ear.

He smiled. "I'll wait down here", he said as she departed her gaze slowly as she walked back upstairs. At the very moment that his gaze left her form it fixated on the last person he thought he'd ever see again in his entire life. The sight before him nearly brought him to his knees. Everything that he doubted, denied and detested about himself was thrown at him at a million miles an hour. He couldn't decipher if his eyes were serving him correctly or if his mind was doing him a disservice by playing a cruel and heartless joke on him in showing him the one person that he loved more than anyone or anything. He was afraid to blink, for when he reopened his eyes, the beautiful mirage would be gone, but it remained. Gaara was caught up in his stare as one would be in rapture, he'd been discovered. His presence in New York was more evident than ever.

Frozen in time and space, he had no other choice but to stay where he was, one still debating reality and the other formulating yet another escape plan. Gaara's eyes began to water, setting off a chain reaction in Naruto's heart. He had to leave before someone else made the connection.

Gaara dashed madly for the back door leading to an alley, praying to anyone listening that Naruto wouldn't follow him. If he followed he would twice as hard to get away from. He wished that Naruto didn't love him back, just so there wouldn't have to be any rude shocks or explanations. Yet, Naruto raced after him before he could get too far away.

Sakura watched the spectacle with concerned eyes from the balcony as many people in the room were looking for the one to congratulate. He was gone; chasing a dream that chased a nightmare.

The rain had stopped when Gaara burst out of the door and into the alley. He watched the door with a charged feeling of anticipation as he heard the clocking of shoes on the floor coming after him. He began to breathe rapidly as he began to take steps backwards toward the street to his escape. All he had to do was run.

Naruto appeared through the door and saw Gaara backing away, closer and closer and closer to the street. Through tearful eyes, the red headed youth outstretched his index finger at the approaching man.

"Get away from me", he choked out as Naruto began to lessen the gap between themselves and the wall behind them. "Don't fucking come near me", they were only a few inches from each other. Gaara began to pick up the scent of his intoxicating cologne.

"Gaara…" Naruto reached out to touch him but Gaara smacked his hand away as more tears poured from his green eyes. Each drop tore at Naruto. He lowered his head to Gaara's level before grabbing him by his slender waist.

"Don't touch me", he pleaded. He could no longer promise himself that he could control his feelings as long as Naruto touched him. "Please don't touch me". He could feel himself slipping, faster than sand through the center of an hour glass. Naruto pressed his lips onto Gaara's, ending his failing inner controversy. He could feel his arms encircling Naruto's strong neck. He lost all control as he felt a strong arm bringing his body to a new definition of close. Rational thought was cast away when Naruto pulled away. Their eyes met once again.

For what seemed like the passing of hours, they gazed into each other's eyes.

"You shouldn't be here"

"Neither should you"

"True, it is football season after all. They could have my head"

Naruto chuckled as he wiped the moisture from Gaara's eyes.

"I missed you"

"I can tell", he said looking down. "You're about to impale me"

Naruto smirked. "You should be so lucky"

"I won't comment on that one"

Naruto's hand began to travel down Gaara's lower back as he leaned closer to his ear. "I think you still want me"

"If my memory serves me correctly, I was running away from you"

"And why would you want to do a thing like that?"

Gaara looked away.

"How many cities is it going to take before realize you can't get rid of me", he drew closer again.

Gaara pushed him away. "They're looking for you"

"How do you know?"

"Someone's always looking for you"

"But what happens when I go back in?"

"You'll say goodbye to all of your friends and go home with your wife"

"I was talking about you"

"What about me?"

"…"

"I'll be fine"

"That's not what I asked"

"Of course it is"

"Don't play with me, Gaara"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"I think you do"

"Well I disagree"

Naruto placed his hand on the wall behind Gaara. "Where are you staying?"

"In New York"

"You think you're funny don't you?"

"Obviously not, by the way you're looking at me"

"I'm not leaving until you tell me"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because you matter"

Gaara sighed deeply. "I go to college here, and I work a few jobs here and there"

"Where?"

"Various places"

"I didn't ask where you worked; I asked where you lay your pretty little red head at night"

"At my boyfriend's place"

"You're lying"

"No I'm not, I do in fact have a boyfriend and he wouldn't appreciate you harassing me about where we live"

Naruto took a step back, smiling to hide his frustration. Gaara's face expressed a satisfactory grin. "You're jealous aren't you?"

"Why would I be jealous of someone that doesn't exist?"

"You tell me"

"You don't have a boyfriend"

"How are you so sure?"

"I know when you're lying"

"Don't flatter yourself", he said looking down for a brief moment. "Besides, what is it about me that so quickly disqualifies me from being in a relationship?"

"I didn't mean it like that"

"Oh but I think you did. You're pissed because I might be squeezing my way out of the little lamp you have me sealed away in, because _clearly _the very idea of me being in a relationship with someone who only wants to be with me is simply unfathomable to you"

"That's not fair", was Naruto's escalating rebuttal. "You know I would never leave my son without a father"

"The only thing that's not fair is how I was the only one stupid enough to fall in love you and you knew it. Now that you've become the man of the fucking First Family you can waltz in with your gorgeous wife in front of all of you queer-hating friends and then when the lights are out and no one is around to recognize you, you come running to your poor hapless little slut for a little extra ass"

"Don't insult me", Naruto said, his tone pointing at Gaara. "You knew full well what situation I was in and you showed up whenever I called just the same, so don't play the martyr like someone took advantage of you. Don't forget that it was me who bailed your ass out of jail when broke into my neighborhood and trashed my car"

Gaara quickly subtracted the space between them. "No, you don't insult me! Don't you dare play Mr. Good Samaritan like you actually care about me; how quickly you forget, _I _wanted to take the bus after you bailed me out, but you insisted on fucking me in your back seat!"

Naruto stepped back again.

"Is that why you left? Because you thought I was using you for sex?"

"…", he took a full breath. His tongue was being held by a force that he could not explain. Common sense and pity of nonsensical child's play would have marked his decision before he'd met Naruto, but a difference in his former and present selves blocked his confession.

"Well? Is it?"

"No", _don't say anything._

"Then why did you leave?"

Gaara chuckled as a new set of tears rolled down his cold warm cheeks. "You're the superstar. You figure it out."

Naruto dashed over to the door and yanked Gaara away, bringing him close again.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you tell me why you left!"

"And disrupt your perfect little life? I don't think I could live with myself if I did that", he spat sarcastically before wiping the tears from his eyes. Naruto looked as if he'd finally hit the brick wall that he'd dreaded all the days leading up to that moment.

"Look, we're about to go back in there with all of those people and I can't be ok with standing amongst them knowing that I don't have you. So just tell me what you want me to do or say and I'll do it!" His voice cracked under the pressure building in his chest.

Gaara looked up at him with eyes he never knew he could see through. "You really want to know what I want you to do?"

"For god's sake, yes!"

The door swung open to reveal a less-than surprised Sakura.

Gaara yanked himself free of Naruto's dying grip. "Wake up", he said before storming inside. The door swung back and forth until Gaara's footsteps could no longer be heard against that familiar and grueling path that the both of them knew as departure, departure of that kind that they knew not if either would return.

Naruto turned around to face the glowing reflection of street lights, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants. He stared out at the transcendental sight before him, being able to extract all sounds from his conscious state except for the slow and hesitant steps of Sakura approaching him. She sighed deeply at the inner unearthing that she was stuck in an unbounded cycle of wreathing his storms before he did, thus discerning whether or not they were surmountable enough for Naruto to handle without acting brashly.

She couldn't bring herself to admit that the purpose behind not warning him immediately when she discovered Gaara's abstruse presence was to allow Gaara's justified and overdue frustration with his dealings, the same one he'd unleashed on her, to be released upon Naruto; perhaps in order to hew back the world-forged notion that he could only bring joy and mindless pleasure to all those who crossed his ill-forsaking path.

With the inner faith that Gaara had the appropriate grasp to tell his conflicted counterpart what he needed to hear, she struggled to find the words to add. Naruto turned his head slightly to the left.

"I don't want to hear it", he said walking through the alley back to the front entrance of the lounge.

"Fine"

Two encumbered figures disappeared from the view of the ally and reappeared into the view of the front entrance. A pair of stark eyes followed their steps as they misguidedly evaded the sight of Gaara clearing champagne glasses from the VIP room on the second level.

Charlotte, dispensing of the conversation being held with an old companion, met the two seemingly melancholy individuals at the glass doors. She looked back and forth from Sakura to Naruto with a slight and diminishing smile.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing", Naruto said wrangling with his own dejection. "Let's just get out of here".

Like a crippling blow, the brown haired woman could feel a familiar, threatening presence of someone who she'd all but staked her life on preventing from showing up in her life ever again. Before Naruto could see her, she took a quick look around the surrounding area. She couldn't spot him within the immediate vicinity and momentarily let her guard down as she began to receive a strange look from Sakura.

"Looking for someone, Charlotte?" Sakura said with a knowing expression on her face, feeling a gut wrenching guilt that her best friend had to go home with her.

"Why of course not", she said placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and looking up at him. "Why don't you go and call Nitram around?"

"Sure", he said with a faint simper before leaning down to kiss her lightly. Sakura swallowed the imaginary lump in her throat as she witnessed the display of affection. He made his grand exit as Charlotte fixated her dramatic and deadly eyes onto Sakura as she walked closer to her.

"What a noble thing you're trying to do"

"Well, someone has to keep an eye on all of the disgusting cunts in his life, may as well be me"

Charlotte laughed softly. "That hurts coming from you, Sakura. I thought we were beginning to get along"

"Only a gracious woman can get along with everyone", Sakura said sardonically. "Even the conniving liars"

"Looks like we have something in common"

"Hardly"

"And why would you say a thing like that?"

"Far be it from me to say", Sakura entreated cordially. "But if you ask me, I'd say that graciousness is a quality that can only be earned through virtue, rather than blackmail"

"Careful", Charlotte said smiling salaciously. "I don't take it lightly when my name is tarnished by causeless accusations"

"That wouldn't be the first thing that you don't take lightly", she said with a slight fear growing beneath her courageous layer of fortitude. "And I wouldn't exactly say 'causeless' is the appropriate term"

"So he _is _here"

"I think you might be losing your edge, Charlotte", Sakura said humorously. "The con artist I know would have known the answer to that one"

"Leaving LA was hard on all of us", Charlotte said feigning a morose expression. "It's no shock that we've lost sight of one another"

"But Naruto's interests come first"

"Rightly so"

"Even the ones that have you scared shitless"

"What ever do you mean?"

"Oh don't play coy, Charlotte", Sakura said leaning in, only inches from the equivocally heighted woman's face. "You know more than anyone that the one reason that's gluing you to Naruto's life is at home with the nanny, and that the minute he finds out where Gaara is, every weapon in your pathetic little arsenal will be rendered obsolete", she said begrudgingly.

Charlotte laughed out loud. "Trust me, neither you nor that degenerate punk have the slightest idea of what weapons I have in my arsenal. You see, mercy is another quality of a gracious woman, because if you hadn't noticed, I could have easily had him killed; and I still can. But I'm feeling especially gracious on this fine evening. You tell you little friend, wherever he's hiding, that I'll forgive him this once for sticking his tongue down my husband's throat a minute ago. But make sure he doesn't fall under amnesia about the terms of our little agreement because if he does, I'll remind him myself"

Naruto walked in the door, pausing at the sight of Sakura and Charlotte inches from each other. "The car's outside", he said suspiciously. Charlotte smirked over at him before walking in his direction. She kissed him deeply as his eyes struggled to remain on Sakura's flustered expression.

"Is everything alright?" He said referring the befuddled question to the both of them. Charlotte looked over at Sakura.

"Everything's just fine", she said as they began out the glass doors. "Goodnight Sakura"

She watched with a heavy heart as Naruto held the door open for Charlotte. She shot a blazing yet coy look at her before the door closed, sending chills down Sakura's spine. The black car pulled away and disappeared into the falsehood and perjury of the night.

Sakura turned around to see a dazed yet concurrent Gaara standing with a pile of dirty trays in the precipice of the kitchen door afar by the bar. She could never explain to another soul how she understood what he was saying to her without moving his lips or vocalizing a single word.

* * *

><p>The city was passing by at a nimble rate, which could be seen from the view of a small rental car. The rain drops were still fresh on the corners of the windshield and they concurred with the slight misty being created by the back of the tires, much like it always did after an unexpected rain shower. The driver, not having been in New York since his adolescence of yesteryear, still remembered the basic infrastructural nomenclature in a way that would navigate him to his destination.<p>

He stopped at a red light, surprised at the sudden absence of cars on the street, as opposed to its normal population, especially on a night like that one, all considering the event being hosted there.

He was instantly reminded of his time there, being caressed by sweet déjà vu with the turning of every corner of every intersecting street. Harold Uzumaki suddenly felt the urge to call the man that he loved the most, when he looked at the 45 missed calls on the screen on his phone. Being swept up in the mad search for a boy who knew not who he was, was a task that Gabriel had to shoulder just as much as his husband.

Maturing professionally in Queens, he would stand out on the fire escape of the two-bedroom flat his parents rented out and gaze out at the constellation of Wall Street in the sky. His father was the epitome of a man who dreamed but never achieved, a pinnacle of the perfectly pathetic man, coming home grimy and gloomy from his primary occupation as mechanic over everything that his life lacked. Evading his narrow scope of knowledge, his son was locked away in his room drowning himself in numbers and statistics.

His mother was a dazzling yet charming woman of mostly German roots with golden hair just like her son's. Her eyes were as blue as the realm of the sky when there were no clouds out, or so Harold like to think of them. Her beauty scared him just as much as it did his father. He would dread the days when she would leave to house to go to work, forgetting to put her wedding ring back on. Men would stop her on the street and ask to buy here a drink or in some cases for her hand in marriage. It took Harold a while before he could truly comprehend just why his mother never wanted to be seen with his father in public. It wasn't because she was embarrassed by him. It was because she knew how a man's ego could be likened unto fine china, precious, prized and fragile.

Her evasion soon lost its effect and soon men started knocking on their door. More enraged than ever before, Harold's father brandished a sharp broken whiskey bottle, which had been emptied conventionally, at a terrified fair woman, whose blood curdling scream woke their son, then fourteen years old. Harold dashed from his bedroom in time to pry his drunken father from his mother, her hair mangled from being clutched in her spouse's intoxicated hands.

Leaving Harold with his father, against her will, she, from then until she moved back to Germany before her death, lived with her brother in Long Island in order to be in the same city as her child and at the same time steer clear of her ex-husband, who never drank a drop of alcohol ever again. Harold would only admit to Gabriel how much it broke his heart that his mother never gave his father another chance.

Harold took his laden heart to NYU, one of the many universities that clamored for his secondary accolades, where he engulfed himself in his studies. He wanted to be a better banker than the swindlers and embezzlers he would hear about and a better man than the father he grew up under. He was sure that he would fill his potential and even push its limits. All the while he ignored the urge inside of him than conflicted with both the political climate and the climate of field that he so fervently strived to one day stand out in.

On an otherwise unparticular day he crossed paths with captivating youth that was at NYU visiting a relative that lived on campus. His name was Gabriel Murchison and he brought out a side of Harold that he knew the world would foully reject. After they spent a passionate night together, Harold vowed to never see him again

Graduating at the top of his senior class, he soon discovered that there were hundreds of thousands of men who wanted to attain the same glowing reverie and became sorely exasperated when he discovered that his chances for finding a job on Wall Street were scant and close to non-existent, until he met Rachel Diana Archestypian; the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.

Dispensing of his initial aspirations, he humbly took a job at a small scale accounting firm in Manhattan. The founder of the budding firm was one of the few people he befriended during his unremarkable time in college and was more than happy to accept Harold, perhaps the most predictable man he could think of. With this predictability, he had begun to shovel most of the undesirable accounts onto the firm's newest addition much to Harold's silent dismay. His torturous silence was ended when the Harold's colleague hired another accountant. When she walked through the double doors of the front lobby, everyone saw a stunningly beautiful woman, by Harold was nearly brought to his knees after seeing what he initially though was the ghost of his mother coming back to haunt him.

Once in, her eyes locked onto Harold.

"I hear you needed a little help", she said before walking into the elevator. She winked at him before the doors closed. Harold would never know what it was about her, with disregard to her physical beauty, which attracted him to her despite the inner battle being waged within. However conflicted he was, he fell madly in love with her and she with him as their singular relationship manifested itself in two forms; two people in love and two partners that were more dynamic than an entire corporation.

The two worked for the firm for 10 years, during which time they had gotten married and moved into a small flat on the Upper East Side, when the colleague that hired the both of them was escorted out in handcuffs for embezzling near a million dollars in money siphoned from accounts that all of the firm's accountants had been had been entrusted with dating back when the firm was crunching its first numbers.

The incarcerated founder made one more request before being transported to his prison cell in West Virginia; that Harold and Rachel take over his firm, and this they did.

The firm was given a new name and completely different staff. The two would always recall that running their own accounting firm made their marriage stronger than a wall made of steel. The power couple soon relocated the HQ of their firm to LA where things were less cut-throat.

And into their lives came a six pounds-even baby boy who they name Minato Uzumaki. His hair was of sunshine gold much like his mother and father, with their same icy blue eyes, the zenith of beauty and prestige.

It seemed that no one or no entity could stand a chance against the erect and impenetrable empire that the two had built. However, just as Rachel had broken the glass of normalcy in his life, it was broken once again when a young man that he promised to himself that he would never see again with his chubby daughter came too his door after they had been run out of their home with no place to stay.

Harold found himself sitting outside of Armanpour's lounge while the servers were all beginning to leave and Rhukiev was locking everything up. He had come too late once again but he couldn't waste time crying over his failure, his husband was at home worried sick about him, he thought. He pulled out his phone and called Gabriel with a renowned hesitance.

"…_."_

Harold could hear his breathing on the other line. "Look, I know you're mad at me"

"…_.."_

"And you have every right to be. I was completely wrong for flying across the country without telling you or calling you to tell you where I was until now. I know this all must've been hard on you too. Naruto may be my grandson but you've been weathering the process of me looking for him just as much as I have and I know I don't tell you that enough. And I know I'm not there for you as much now that I'm looking for him and working an extra job on top of that. Marcia's probably already asking you to move in with her because she thinks I'm putting you through too much stress and I can't blame her. Not that I don't love you living with me, it's just that I understand where she's coming from if in fact that's the case"

"…"

"And I know I don't tell you enough but I love you more than anything or anyone in the world. I may not say it or show it but I think about you every second of every hour of everyday and I can't wait to come back home to you, Gabe"

"_Are you finished?"_

"Yeah, that's all I got for right now", he said sheepishly. "Get back to me when I have some Viagra in my system"

_Gabriel burst into laughter. _

"What's so funny?"

"_Since when have you ever needed Viagra?"_

"Since I read somewhere that it improves eye sight"

"_I hope you didn't pay for that information"_

"The other effects aren't so bad either"

"_I suppose so", Gabriel said with a smile. "How's the search going?" He began to feel like he said that far too many times out of the day._

"I'm too late", he said before a grueling pause.

"_I'm so sorry, Harry"_

"Don't be, baby", he said affectionately. "I'll just have to come home and try again"

"_Of course", he said with a feigned assurance. "We'll find him"_

"But first I think we need a break for a while"

"_You don't have stop looking for your grandson for me Harry"_

"I do, Gabe", he said sincerely. "I love you too much to put anything before you"

"_I can never stay mad at you"_

"You can be mad at me for as long as you want, Gabe", he said smiling. "I'm still coming home to you"

"_Where are you going to sleep? Are you in a hotel? Is it one of those flea ridden places?"_

"I'll stay somewhere safe and dry"

"_I'm not satisfied with that answer", he said. "But I'll give you a pass this one time, you always knew how to manage"_

"Goodnight Gabe"

"_Goodnight Harry"_

* * *

><p>The night had begun its unvarying decay with the streets finally drying of their previous drenched state as the morsels of the few trees being free to take flight in the cool night wind. Leaves were beginning to litter the streets, a momentous effect from a small entity. Couples as well as individuals were taking their extoling pets out from their captive homes and walking them along the drying streets in primped coats and designer shoes, the night filled with revilement and subterfuge.<p>

_Herbst_

Shortly after returning to their home, Naruto crept into their son's bedroom. Only the little boy's small face was visible underneath the action figure blanket under which he slept soundly. His father silently treaded over to his bed. His time spent with the young image of him was sparse due to the numerous cities he found himself in from month to month. He hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to him since they had moved to New York.

"Hey little guy", he said as he brushed his blonde hair out of his innocently dreaming eyes. "I know you haven't seen much of your old man these days"

He fidgeted slightly as his father sat next to his sleeping form.

"But I promise it's not because I don't love you", he said as a small tear rolled down his face. "Because kid, you're the best thing that could ever happen to a man like me"

"Daddy's got to go back to work in a couple of months, but until then it'll just be me and you"

"We'll go to the movies, bowling, ice skating, Disney World…"

"I know how you always tell us how much you want to go"

"And guess what?"

"You're old man's going to be playing for the New York Giants"

"Your favorite team"

"Me, you and mommy will all go on a big vacation before I go back to work"

"You know you're crazy old grandpa says you're not mine"

"That's crazy; anyone with eyes can tell that you're my boy"

"You've got my eyes, my nose, my mouth, and even my hair"

Naruto leaned down and kissed the younger version of himself before departing from the room of teetering love and affection and closing the door softly behind. He walked down the long hallway that led to their bedroom as he could faintly hear Charlotte in the bathroom undressing. His stomach dropped, much like it did just as he was about to enter the field. He didn't stop on his track to the fresh air available on the balcony, not wanting her to sense his momentary desire for solitude.

Leaving the events if the draft picks at Armanpour's lounge, Gaara's parting remarks smoldered within him. Worth more, he was in turmoil over that idea that Gaara was beginning to lose the sense that he would always have someone there for him. With the knowledge of a large portion of his life and all that he was faced with at such a young age, Naruto would forever simmer with the thought that the one person for which he could not process his feelings for had been numbed by disregard.

He found a warmth and rapturous solace in wondering where he was, now that it was confirmed that he lived in the same state. He could well have been anywhere, but much like in LA, he'd fallen into the similar whirlwind of pining after the one person for which pining a shunned.

The older man could still smell his ambrosial scent, the delectable saccharine taste of his soft lips still afresh upon his own. He longed to be against him again, cornering him like a beautiful and tantalizing fantasy, liable to fly away at any moment, never to return.

Naruto stood out on the balcony of the second floor of their house as the night air caressed his bare chest, looking with a nostalgic eye out at the cumulonimbus clouds coving the moon. The more he stared, the more their hue transformed from a silverfish gray to a rose. Not sure whether or not his ghoulish subconscious was playing another trick on him he averted his vision to the street below, which was only lit by a few prevailing street lights that managed to illuminate their entire block. Out of the corner of his eye he kept being lured into a recurring mirage, an igniting infatuation under the street lamp closest to him.

Knowing for sure that the afterimage of Gaara was in fact another one of his mind's many duplicities played at his expense, he looked away. But there he was again, standing under the second light pole, clinging to it. He could see the nude phantasm, his bare back against the cold metal pole, as he ran his fingers through his hair, then past his lips, into his mouth, delving into the sweetest invisible taste as he closed his eyes. He then reached behind his head, wrapping his hands around the metal pillar, and revealed the decadent arch of his back as he pressed his heat onto the cooling surface. His impassioned cries could be heard as if they were coming from right near his ear.

The seductive mirage looked up at Naruto from underneath the warming light of the street lamp with tears on the horizon of his green eyes as he cried out the older man's name at the top of his lungs, screaming his pleas for Naruto to fuck him harder, faster and deeper. The blonde haired man looked around frantically as he ran a hand through his hair. Someone had to be an additional witness to the sultry and impure sounds coming from someone he prayed he wasn't the only one he saw, yet there were no witnesses on the street, the concrete infrastructure was barren.

_I need a drink, I'm losing my mind. _

Just as he prepared to turn around to his bedroom he was nearly brought his knees when he saw the same haunting unveiled youth approaching him from the double doors of their bedroom that led to the threshold of the balcony. Naruto backed away until his back was pressed against the iron fence at the end of the ledge. It looked more like Gaara than the real version that he'd seen only a few hours prior to his current ordeal. He wanted to speak but the controlling notion in the back of his mind reminded him that it was Charlotte walking towards him.

"Are you coming to bed, Naruto?" The red headed dream said as he approached the fearful and bewildered man. With the seductive and light voice of Charlotte and the slender and inviting body of Gaara, Naruto was left speechless, not knowing whether to advance towards the frightening coalescence, he rushed past the dizzying mirage to the bathroom where he doused his hot face with a barrage of cold water.

He looked back at his dripping features in the mirror as his breath stabilized. _I can't do this for much longer, something's got to give. But what?_

"Are you ok?" Came the worried voice and bare body of Charlotte who came up behind him. She pressed the side of her face into his strong back before she snaked her hands around his waist. Her dainty hands traveled lower, massaging his throbbing manhood. Naruto sighed deeply, his body allowing her soft touch to sink in and his heart writhing in pure agony. Never knowing what it felt like to commit adultery, he'd never felt closer to doing so then at that moment. The two hadn't slept together in longer than either could remember.

"I'm so proud of you, Naruto", she said as she reached into his pants. "You've worked so hard, and it's all starting to pay off"

Naruto closed his eyes as she wrapped her fingers around his length. Gaara's face reappeared in his vision, his eyes a fountain pouring for him.

_Wake up._

Charlotte reached for his hand and proceeded to lead him into the bedroom.

* * *

><p>A small ray of light escaped through the blinds of a dark apartment unit in LA as the sweet singing of a song of constancy by the city birds outside. A blaring alarm clock was stopped after only a few seconds of urgent assonance, the only occupant in the lonely space was awake long before the blaring began. She brushed her hair out of her eyes as she looked out at the faint blue light coming from her living room window, knowing that there would a car outside for her in less than an hour.<p>

The curling clouds above her complex blatantly spelled out the approaching of the morning light as the nights cool air escaped into the sky. A bottle could be heard as it smashed against the pavement in the parking lot of the facility, the breaker stumbling hopelessly to a cooled spot underneath the concrete stairs.

Her body ached endlessly as she trudged to the bathroom to look at her tired reflection in the mirror. She could scarcely stand to behold the woman she saw before her. She didn't see a stripper, a prostitute, a woman, a girl, a friend nor an enemy. She saw a woman who gave up her child to avoid incarceration. She saw a woman who fell victim to blackmail, yet she couldn't bear to call herself the victim. In her mind, the real victim was in another state, dazed, scared, confused and bewildered as to why he hasn't seen his mother in almost three years. The real victim was the boy whose mother gave him to a conniving woman out of fear of what she could do.

Ember reached to her face to wipe her tears, but there were none to dry. She's cried over her groundbreaking mistake for far too long, the time had come to leave this sign of weakness behind because the day of atonement was at hand. She was finally granted the opportunity to rectify the mistakes she'd made as mother.

The tumultuous youth refused to allow her son's life to grow any more similar to hers as her resolve was spontaneously bolstered. Her reflection was suddenly given the potential to be blank and fresh. So long as she could retrieve her son from the clutches of her own shortcomings and give him the love that was known as the unrivaled force of nature, the love that could electrify an army of a hundred men, the love that never slept or ceased to exist, a mother's fierce love, then she could look at her reflection not with contempt but with true pride.

She showered, dressed in a pair of black jeans, her favorite black heels and a black spaghetti strapped shirt, a necklace given to her by her father, and placed her suitcase near the tattered sofa. She heard a faint honking outside in the parking lot adjacent to her unit prompting her to gather roll her light luggage to the door.

The collage of pictures on the shelf stopped her, however. There they were, at the park, after his first day of daycare, with one of her best friends, when they first moved in, at the carnival, at his first birthday and his second, and at the delivery room in her arms when he was born. The car outside continued to honk for her. A thought struck her.

She grabbed the makeshift anecdote and stuffed it into her suitcase before bolting out the door.

Scattered curses and expletives were shouted out of random apartments at the frustrated driver. The young man looked through his side view mirror and saw a charming scurrying down the steps with a rather large yet seemingly empty suitcase. Her wavy caramel colored hair was tossed behind her by the playful and faint morning breeze as she quickly made her way to the vehicle. Her breathtaking eyes batted, lustrously fighting off the strands of hair in her face. He quickly got out to open the door for her. She paused briefly to catch her breath. The two exchanged a silent glance before he spoke up.

"Good morning Ms. Salazar"

She reached over to shake his hand. "It's Ember. And I'm sorry I had you waiting", she said apologetically.

"No worries"

She smiled, sealing his fate. The young woman entered the car and the enamored driver closed her in before returning to the driver's seat, tripping over a portion of cracked pavement on his way. Ember placed a hand over her mouth to hide her amusement.

Flustered and helplessly embarrassed, he began their journey to LAX.

The two sat in the car, writhing uncomfortably in the silence. Ember looked at him in the reflection of the rear view mirror, finding courage in the idea that she most likely would never see him again should she make a fool of herself.

"Do you like driving people around?"

Taken aback by the blunt question, he chuckled.

"It pays the bills"

"I'd rather do this job than do what I do"

"Which is?"

"I'm a stripper"

He paused, laughing nervously. "Well, I guess than can be a pretty rough job too"

"You don't know the half of it. I'd quit if it didn't pay as well as it does"

"If that's not what you want to do, then that's a pretty bad excuse for not quitting, if you think about it", he said, processing his words afterwards. "Sorry, that's overstepping my bounds"

"Not at all, that's a good point in fact", she said smiling at him. "I guess another reason is that I'm too chicken shit to tell my boss I want out"

"Is he violent?"

"He can be"

"Why don't you get your boyfriend or your dad or brother to back you up?"

Ember laughed. "Well, I'm an only child, my father is bedridden and lives in a nursing home in San Francisco and I'm single, if that was your way of asking"

He smirked back at her. "You're onto to me, I see"

"It's kind of cute"

"Well, I'm 25. If 'kind of cute' is the best I can do, I should be worried"

"I wouldn't be too worried"

The two propelled themselves into the continuity of their genuine conversation as the car mirrored the future. But miles ahead, at the origin of the day's later event, Minato sat impatiently in the terminal with his equally impatient partner waiting for their third party to arrive. He rested his heavy head on his intertwined fingers, contemplating the course of action he would make in the following hours. Kushina placed her hand on his back.

He wasn't prepared to lose his son, yet he was sure that would occur at any rate if he chose not to act.

"What are you thinking about?" He looked up to see Kushina looking down at him.

"I'm thinking about what'll happen when we come in with her, we're about to tell him that the son he loves and thinks is his own belongs to someone else. It'll be like his son has died", he admitted gravely.

"Would you rather him go on believing a lie?"

"No"

"And didn't Ember say she was going to do exactly what we're doing, with or without us?"

"Yes"

"And isn't there a possibility that he might come around to us eventually once he knows the truth?"

"Yes"

"And won't the child go back to his mother?"

"Yes"

"And-"

"I know what's going to happen, Kushina", he said in heightened tone.

"Then what's bothering you?"

Minato sighed. "I keep imagining someone coming to me one day and telling me that Naruto isn't mine. I couldn't fathom how much that hurts. And on top of that, he just got drafted into one of the best teams in the country. Now he'll have to go in with all of this on his plate"

"Fine, we'll go back to the baggage claim, get our things, tell Ember to take a hike, get our money back for the flight, and continue letting him raise someone else's child like a blind cuckolded fool until the inevitable day when his lovely wife forgets to dye the kid's hair, then she'll concoct another lie to pull out of her ass and feed it to our son", she said nonchalantly sitting back in the chair.

"You know that's not what I want"

"Then when _Jonathan's _mother gets here, you're going to get your ass on that plane to go and tell _our_ son the truth before the kid turns eighteen", she said pointing out to the giant run way of landing and departing planes.

"Um….I'm here", said a nervous mother with a small carry-on bag around her shoulder. Kushina got up from her seat to shake her hand.

"You must be Ember"

"And you must be Kushina", she smiling. Her eyes quickly averted to a sullen Minato in the other seat. "Minato"

He looked up from his downward countenance, giving her a quick nod as he too rose to his feet. Despite the noisiness of the terminal, the three were inches from drowning in their own silence when Ember turned to Kushina.

"It's nice to finally meet you", she said nervously. "I really appreciate you guys doing this. I can't thank you enough"

Kushina smiled down at the shorter woman. "You can thank us by taking your son home and giving him all the love he deserves. He's been through a lot in the few years of his life"

"I will", Ember felt as if she had been pierced with a whetted arrow dipped in guilt. She smiled up at the woman whom she knew meant well, but her unbeknownst dart began to eat at her all over again, prompting her to remind herself of the reason why she was standing in front of two people she would otherwise have never crossed paths with.

"_Flight 560 to Newark is now boarding"_

"That's us", Kushina said as she retrieved her belongings from the side of the uncomfortable seat. Minato sighed deeply as he made his way through to the exit of the terminal before either of the women. After looking concernedly at his quickly departing form, she turned to Kushina, someone who she was sure knew him better than anyone.

"Don't worry about him; he's just having some second thoughts"

"It's a little late for that don't you think?"

"Try telling him that", she said knowingly. "Come on, we had better get going"

The two mothers continued towards the exit of the terminal.

"I should be the one having second thoughts, you know", Ember said looking ahead.

"Why is that?"

"I've never flown before"

Kushina smiled over at her with a shocked air. "Never?"

"Never", she said bashfully. "I know, I need to get out more"

"Don't be embarrassed. Everyone has to be first time flyer at some point"

They entered the jet entrance and a small tingle graced Ember's gut. She continued her stride with Kushina without hesitation as if each fearful step towards the place was a necessary and proper retribution to the cause and plight of her child. Kushina place a caring hand on her back.

"Just breath, everything will be just fine"

Before she knew it, she was inside of the plane witnessing the rest of the first class passengers placing their carry-on luggage above their luxury seats. She could see Minato up ahead, already in his seat. Kushina brushed past him and sat next to the window. Ember sat directly behind them, taking a deep and collective breath as she placed her messenger bag in her lap that contained her phone, the collage and a few documents.

"First time flying?" Minato asked gruffly from in front of her without so much as turning his head. His head was rested against the head rest and his eyes were leisurely closed as if flying was as mundane as any daily task that had to be done.

"Yes"

"Let's hope we don't die"

"Don't scare her like that!" Kushina punched him in his arm, momentarily waking him from his half rest. "Remember what I said sweetheart, just breath and everything will be just fine"

Ember nodded, acting out her suggestion. _Just breath and everything will be just fine._

"_Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We're about to enter the departing runway. We ask the you please follow the instructions of your flight attendants, and be sure to enjoy our world class cuisine. We will be arriving in Albany in approximately seven hours. It's a clear day throughout the Midwest, so we shouldn't expect much turbulence…."_

"You see?" Kushina said smiling over the back of her seat at Ember. "Don't let my asshole husband scare you", she said making Minato roll his eyes.

"_Make sure to buckle your seat belt, we will be sure to notify you when you are able to move about the cabin once we reach the desired altitude. Enjoy your flight"_

The plane, at a moderate speed, began to maneuver through the lanes leading to the departing runway. Ember's heart began to beat quickly. She began to feel resentment towards the other passengers for expressing such a sense of disarming serenity and calm. What made them so sure that everything would go as planned?

_Just breath and everything will be just fine_

The young distressed mother began to do the very thing she had grown quite adept at over the past grueling years. She put all of her anguish and fear of plummeting from and astronomical altitude to her death into the place where all of her fears went; in the place where they became quintessential in atoning for the relinquishment of her son into another's hands. In her mind, every ounce of consternation that she felt for being on a plane for the first time was owed to her for her shortcomings. She felt that if, instead of a complete stranger, it was her equally frightened son sitting in the seat next to her, she would be able to muster up the dauntlessness to comfort him.

They entered the track that was so long that it seemed to lead into the sky. The plane gradually began to pick up speed and the entire cabin began to shake, it was like something that Ember had never felt before in her entire life. She felt as if she were being pressed with increasing pressure toward her deformities, her struggles, her calamities, and all that her child was forced to accept as normal until she was given not even room to breathe. The plane seemed to be going faster than the speed of sound; she closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for whatever catastrophe that lied ahead of her. Her eyes were closed so tightly that her tears weren't abundant enough to break through.

Sadness and regret were stopped along with the feelings of nausea, intense shaking and unusual speed. She was doing what a mother would do, an imperfect mother, the only kind of mother she knew that existed; she was going across the country to get her son back. She opened her eyes, releasing her tears, yet when they escaped her brown eyes, they shouted joy instead of fear. She turned her head slowly to look out the window to see the blinding yet radiant light of the sun.

Ember turned back to the back of Kushina's seat and smiled to herself.

_I'm coming, Jon Jon._

* * *

><p>A call was made from the outside of the dance studio of a university in Manhattan.<p>

"_Hello?"_

"Hey mom"

"_Gaara is that you? Is that really you? I almost didn't recognize you", she said sardonically._

"I forgot how much of a drama-queen you are".

"_I'll let that one go", she said laughing slightly. "So how's the Big Apple?"_

"Big"

"_Yeah…I figured that much"_

"I get lost a lot, and the subway smells awful, but other than that I love it"

"_I'm glad"_

He paused, sinking to the floor against the wall of the outside of the rehearsal room. He looked around at his dull and modern surroundings, picking up on the fact that his mother was onto him.

"_So when are you planning to tell me the truth?"_

He sighed.

"I get lost a lot, the subway smells awful, I get pushed and shoved on the sidewalks, everything is expensive, I'm working three jobs and I hate all of them, there's dog shit everywhere, my entire body hurts from my slave-driving ballet professor, I've been mugged four times since I moved here, I was bitten by a rat yesterday, my neighbor has to let all of Brooklyn know that her boyfriend found her G spot, I can't even afford to buy clothes, and Naruto is here".

"_I know"_

"You knew? But how?"

"_It was all over the news last week. 'America's Favorite Athlete Plants His Roots in the Historical District of Chelsea, NY'"_

"I should have known"

"_Chelsea isn't exactly next door to Brooklyn, it's not like you have to see him every day"_

"I've already seen him once"

"_Figures. Leave it up to you two to magically run into each other"_

"You're not helping"

"_How exactly did this happen"_

"I work for an event company and I had to serve at the draft picks"

"_I'll bet that was awkward"_

"Mom!"

"_I'm sorry, honey, but you have to admit that this isn't a coincidence"_

"What do you mean?"

"_Gaara, it isn't normal to move to the opposite side of the country just to run right into the very person you were running away from"_

"Are trying to say that its fate?"

"_Could be…"_

"That's ludicrous"

"_I don't suppose you have a better explanation"_

"He's mentioned the Giants before; it's only natural that he's here now. Naruto never talks about something he doesn't plan on doing"

"_Of course you would know that"_

"I didn't call you so you could me feel even worse"

"_And I didn't answer the phone to lie to you"_

"Then you'll agree with me when I say that Naruto is married with a child and therefore unavailable to me or the rest of the population of America"

"_That may be true but it's also true that you still have unresolved feelings for him"_

"So your motherly advice is for me to sleep with a married man?"

"_I never said that"_

"Then what are you saying?"

"_I'm saying that it's all fine and good that you have his life figured out but what about yours? How do you feel? Have you even thought about that?"_

"Of course I have"

"_Could've fooled me"_

"Do you really want to know how I feel about Naruto?"

"_It is in my job description as a mother to identify with how my child feels, and it would do you some good to vent a little, so that would be a yes"_

"I want to hate him", he said flatly before not saying another word.

"…_Is that all? You want to hate him?"_

"I've racked my brain for months, trying to figure out how I feel about him and all I can come up with is how much I want to hate him. From the moment I walked out of the break room at Maude's, I had seen him on TV a few times, but I other than that I never gave two shits about football. He took everything I thought about people like him and turned it upside down. He risked everything just to be with me, I mean literally everything. His father hated me, his best friends thought I was a gold digger, his fans thought I was a trick, and he didn't even care. Even when I tried to push him away, that only made him love me more."

"…_.."_

"I didn't want to, I swear I didn't, but I fell in love with him. I fell so deeply in love with him that I couldn't even go a minute without thinking of anyway that I could make him happy. I did things that I would never do. I said things to him that I would never say to anyone else. I took every part of myself, as much as I was scared, and gave it to him because I thought he loved me and that he would give me anything. And I never wanted his money; he knew he never had to spend a penny on me. I believed every word he said, every single word. I would give anything just to be near him. When he touched me I felt like I was in someone else's body, I knew that I wouldn't be able to take it if I felt his touch for myself. I almost hated being near him because I knew that eventually he would have to leave me. I loved everything about him and I just knew he loved me just as much"

"…"

"But it seems like everything changed when she came to his door, with her long dark hair, and her kid…their kid, I mean. Have you ever felt so invisible that you couldn't even see yourself anymore? That's how I felt. I didn't exist. As long as I didn't live for him, I didn't live at all. I wished it wasn't like that but I couldn't help it no matter how much I tried. I couldn't cry hard enough or scream loud enough. For the first time in my life, I wished that I was a woman. Because maybe, just maybe if I could give him a child, then perhaps he would still love me. Maybe if I were more attractive, or if were more masculine, or more feminine, or more aggressive, or more submissive, or smarter, or if I stopped playing hard-to-get, or if I dyed my hair, or cut it off, if I lost weight or gained wait, anything. I would do anything to make him love me again. I hated myself because I wasn't her. She was the one he loved, she was the mother of his child, she was the wife, and who am I? Nobody"

"…"

"I hated myself and for that I blame him. He drew me in just to shut me out and I want to hate him. I wish every day for the strength to hate him, but it never comes. I couldn't hate him even if I were the hateful man on Earth. I can't afford to move again; I'll be in New York for a while, even if I can't get a job as a dancer. And every day when I hear about him, or even see him, I'll always be reminded of how much I can't hate him"

_Karura placed her hand on her heart. "Now, you see? Don't you feel better?"_

"No"

"_Neither do I. My goodness you're messed up"_

Gaara laughed boisterously. "You're going to make me late for work"

"_Call me when you make it home tonight"_

"You'll be asleep when I get home tonight"

"_No I won't"_

Gaara sighed. "Fine I'll call you"

"_Bye, Gaara", she said before hanging up._

Gaara got up sorely from his sitting position and made his way to the exit, opening the doors reveal the blinding light of day.

* * *

><p>"<em>What time do you think you'll get here?"<em>

"Probably late tonight"

"_I forgot how long of a flight that was"_

"Yeah", he sighed deeply. "I'm getting too old for this. I haven't even gotten on the damn plane and my neck is already killing me"

"_Take an Advil"_

"I'm out"

"_You always have Advil"_

"I always have you; you normally give me some when I run out"

"_Oh yeah"_

"…."

"_I'm sorry Harry"_

"For what?"

"_I just wish you didn't have to do this"_

Harold massaged his temples. "Come on Gabe, you know what his father said. He doesn't want Naruto to have anything to do with me"

"_How do you know it's not too late to change his mind?"_

"He told the kid I'm dead!"

"_Well when you put it like that…"_

"How the hell else am I supposed to put it Gabriel?"

"_Don't get mad at me. All I'm saying is that there's got to be a better way to solve this than to stalk the guy like a prowler in the night"_

"I suppose you have a better way?"

"_Try talking to your son for goodness sake, it's been almost thirty years. People can change, you know"_

"You don't know my son"

"_After all this time you don't know him any better than I do"_

Harold rested his chin in his palm as he looked out of a similar terminal window.

"_You're right; I don't know your son. But I do know that if he's anything like his father, then he isn't any happier about his decision than you are"_

The older man sighed in defeat. "That's just it. Minato isn't anything like me. He's stubborn and unforgiving, just like his mother".

"_Start with her then"_

"It isn't that easy"

"_Well, why not?"_

"Don't you remember? Rachel is 'dead' too"

_Gabriel shuffled audibly. "Just come home"_

"I love you too, Gabe"

_An anticipated gale grazed the hind side of a glorious manor on the hillsides of California near the roaring Pacific shore as a few sagacious rays of light from the sun peered through the dampening clouds onto the vaunting abode. From above, people could be seen out on the lush green pasture, tending to the gardens. The windows were all dim with the exception of the one that allowed sight into the back of the dining area._

_Their conversations about the ruthless and unkind woman of the manor that transpired atop the roses and geraniums gave a sour and infertile air to the blackened soil that they overturned, prodded and raked, all of her fears and current tumult being sewn into the dead ground._

"_Did you hear?"_

"_Hear what?"_

"_Beth walked in on Harold telling his mistress not to call him"_

"_You can't take anything that old croon says seriously. I'm surprised their still letting her clean their house, poor thing probably inhaled too much Lemon Pledge"_

"_Say what you want, but I know she's telling the truth"_

"_How do you know?"_

"_It's been going around this place for months before this happened"_

"_Who is it?"_

"_Who?"_

"_The mistress, you idiot. Who is she?"_

"_Oh, it's no 'she'. It's that guy from Texas, you know, the one who came with his kid a few summers ago"_

"_Him?! But I thought him and Harold were just old friends"_

"_Apparently they're more than that. And I'll bet that explains why he goes on those monthly 'sabbaticals'"_

"_And why that guy moved out in such a hurry last month"_

"_I always thought that was sort of strange. He stormed out, like someone had burned him bad"_

"_Old Harry probably told him he wasn't going to leave the bitch"_

"_Serves her right"_

"_I never pictured Old Harold as a fairy"_

"_You and she have something in common"_

"_She saw it coming, probably didn't want to believe it"_

"_Poor thing"_

"_You can't have everything"_

_The house was built on the side of a tall hill such that one could only see it once around the bend of a small county road that led to it. _

_The dining area was coated in wood. Wooden chairs, wooden tables and wooden supports beneath the sofas and chaise lounges. Sounds bounced languidly from the wooden floors to the darkly painted walls. The tall ceiling over the grand dining table was paneled with wooden planks that touched perpendicularly with the wooden crown molding. _

_Pages from a newspaper were turned. _

_A tea cup was placed back onto its saucer. _

_The wildest of fantasies were questioned as the hyperborean silence coupled with the cool air coming from an above vent made even the slightest of motions from the two bodies. The blonde haired woman cleared her throat, the way she always did when she knew something she shouldn't. _

_Her husband glanced at her from across the table to see her looking down at a book. A door could be heard opening and closing in the far corner of the house as the two relayed their silence to the prospect that the end of their marriage as well as the fall of an empire rested in the hands of a man living in a small apartment in LA only forty-five minutes away. This prospect was the fire under her skin, she hated him. She hated his brown hair and small frame, the same frame she her husband delighted in thrusting into behind the walls of whatever seedy apartments he called home. _

_Every day of every year, she thought she was pacing every ounce of womanly energy into being able to rest assured that her husband was attracted to her, if not her body, then her suaveness as a businesswoman, and if not that, at least in the fact that she was the mother of his child, and if nothing else at all, all of the many things that composed her personage. _

_She had nothing left that he wanted, or so she thought. But she would rather die than to allow her inner turmoil to be discovered, even though she was almost certain that this very thing was sure to happen in the near future. Whispers of her failures and of the concurrent events being the piper that was to be paid for the way she governed her household and their business ate at her incessantly. She looked up at him over the brim of her cup with much contempt and dissonance. He could never know how much, at that moment, she wanted to toss the scalding liquid upon his bare ivory skin, perhaps making him feel a portion of the burning pain and frustration that she felt. _

"_Did you remind Bill to look over the Nesslinger account?"_

_She looked up to see him staring at her from across the large table with his familiar deep blue eyes that always seemed to penetrate her hate for him and his dealings with Gabriel. Rachel sighed deeply. _

"_Yes"_

_There was a brief pause in between them._

"_Did you remember to look over the Murchison account"_

_Harold's heart was chilled when he saw her icy glare from across the table._

"_There is no Murchison account"_

"_No?" She spat sarcastically._

"_No, there isn't"_

"_Because I could've sworn that every time, for the past few years, I ask what account calls for the mysterious disappearing act you perform every month and your assistant tells me that it's for the Murchison account"_

"…"

"_Now isn't that funny? Your old pal…..Gabriel I think it is; the one with the adorable little girl, his name is Murchison as well, isn't he?"_

"…"

_Rachel picked up her tea cup, staring at the painting of a rose that ran around the cup before slinging it at the wall. She got up from her seat and stood over a non-responsive Harold who could only stare into the page of the newspaper that may as well have been blank. _

"_I can deal with the fact that you're find your little slut more attractive than me, but what I cannot deal with is the fact that you thought I was stupid"_

"_I didn't mean for this to happen"_

_Rachel laughed a loud and salacious laugh. "What? You thought I would be ok that your little rendezvous? Is that what you meant to happen?! Well guess what? I'm not ok with the fact that my husband waited until we've been married for a fucking decade to stop liking pussy!"_

"_That's not what this is about!" Harold said standing to his feet. _

"_Then what the hell is about? Huh? How much you love him, how much we've grown apart?! You're sick! You know that?"_

"_Don't act like you're the victim. You've had plenty of affairs!"_

"_With men!"_

"_And that makes it better?!"_

"_At least I know who I am", she seethed. "Who are you anymore? Ever since that whore moved here, you've become just like him, a raging fag!"_

_Harold stood silent for a moment. "Is that how you feel?"_

_Rachel concurrently glared up at him. _

"_What do you want from me, Rachel?"_

_She looked away for a moment. "I want what you took from me and gave to him", she said before storming off in the other direction to the second staircase that led to the master bedroom. Harold rubbed his forehead before his ears picked up a faint sniffling coming from the opening of the hallway that led to the foyer. _

_A blonde haired boy of twelve years looked upon his tall father with great bewilderment and disgust. Harold initiated movement in his son's direction but the young boy ran away as fast as he could, his warm tears spilling helplessly on his way to any part of the giant void of a house where neither of his feuding parents could be found. Harold leaned against a wooden pillar near the dining area as he ran his hands through his blonde hair. _

_Year after year, with the knowledge that both of his parents were resolving their marital difficulties with the intervention of outside romantic methods, the same tearful boy's extreme hatred for the both of them grew like a fire fed with kerosene, be fueled each time his mother came home with her underwear in her purse, or when his father returned after a week of absence._

_There was something about the carelessness about which they executed infidelities that created an inner resentment so strong that he knew, by the time he'd reached his freshman year in high school, that once out of their sickening grasps of failed attempts to reach out to him, he would never speak to either of them and neither would the family that he would one day convoke. His words in conversation to the both of them began to dry and narrow as the months of his tumultuous life passed by. _

_Harold and Rachel spoke only to slander and eviscerate one another, giving their only child a harsh and unbridled accurate scope of what he wanted to do. He stopped bringing his friends home, when Rachel asked for an explanation he simply replied, "I haven't any friends". This became a model for his normal responses to the both of them, which usually were followed by an abrupt slamming of his door. The second study was where he spent nearly all of his time, telling any intruders to "fuck off". _

_On several occasions he would become belligerent after being reprimanded by his father for giving another confused teen a bloody nose. _

"_What the hell were you thinking?!"_

"_I guess I was thinking about how much of a faggot he was. I should've broken more than his nose", he seethed in response, secretly pointed his boiling hatred towards the unseen man who tore his family to shreds. _

"_Don't talk like that!" Rachel interjected._

"_Why? Are you afraid that I punched out one of Dad's little boy toys? At least there will be less tight ass around for you to compete with!"_

_She slapped him, her nails leaving red imprints on his cheeks. He turned back to her with a ghastly scowl. _

"_I hope he gives you AIDS", he spat before storming out to the front door. _

_Minato soon graduated high school as valedictorian, reluctantly inviting his parents to his graduation ceremony. He left for Dartmouth at the first opportunity that presented itself to him, failing to tell his blindsided parents that he had gone. _

_Once he was away, the two mutually filed for a divorce, giving them ample reason to sell off the bulk of their assets, including their extravagant edifice, as the condition of their accounting firm began to decline in productivity. It was a clean dissolution that was over in a matter of months. Neither of them wanted anything that could remind them of their nightmarish sham of a marriage whose sole purpose was to coddle a child that wanted little to nothing to do with either of them._

_During the period of their son's hiatus from their life, their business was hurdled into bankruptcy, forcing them to end their seemingly ancient partnership and sell off all of their firm's financial assets_

_They eventually forgave each other and began to dedicate their separate lives to the reparation of the damaged relationship with Minato. Harold, then a small scale banker, moved Gabriel into a modest one-story in the suburbs. Rachel, after starting up an upscale restaurant, moved into a loft near Melrose Place. _

_Eighteen long years passed without them hearing a single word from him until he appeared in the newspaper during the fifth summer of his absence from their lives. They'd tried calling him, only for him to change his number. They even tried to visit, which usually ended in them being escorted away by the police when Minato told the authorities that he didn't know who they were. _

_Minato began gaining notoriety when he began a career in energy and petroleum. Harold and Rachel, who were beginning to slowly dispense of their futile crusade towards Minato's heart, as a final effort, stood in a crowded elevator slowly ascending to the twenty-eighth floor. The two exchanged a quick glance before a slight 'ding' notified them that they had arrived. They squeezed through the mass of suits, briefcases, coffee cups and designer perfumes and colognes. _

"_Are you sure we shouldn't have brought Gabe? I mean, it could maybe show him-"_

"_Are you crazy? This is between us, your….."_

"_Partner"_

"_Whatever, he has nothing to do with this"_

_They approached a round desk as the receptionist gave the two a strange gaze. She had never seen anyone look as much like her boss as they did. But the words of gossip around the office as well as general knowledge in the world of non-renewable energy said that his parent died in a car accident when he was twelve._

"_Can I help you?"_

_Rachel rested her arms on the desk. "Yes, we would like to see Mr. Uzumaki, if he's not busy"_

"_Actually he's in a meeting that should be wrapping up about now", she said before pointing to a door that opened to release a group of associates that dispersed to various areas of the floor, like tiny petrified roaches scuttling to any available refuge from freshly lain poison. _

"_I'll tell him you're coming"_

_Rachel smiled down at her. "Thank you so much"_

"_Um, who should I tell him is here to see him?"_

_Harold spoke up. "Two old friends"_

_The receptionist nodded before picking up the receiver. "Mr. Uzumaki you have two visitors here to see you"_

"…"

"_Two old friends"_

"…_."_

_She hung up. "It's the third door just that way", she said pointing to a hallway behind them. They continued to the door as if approaching the precipices of failure and death. Rachel knocked on the cold door before receiving a faint, "Come in"._

"_Whoever you are, I'm not giving you any mon-"_

_He stopped before he could finish his dismissal to see the older version of the couple he and his world knew as his deceased parents. Harold closed the door behind him and turned to face a shocked and seemingly emotionless Minato. He put down the stack of paper he previously held in his hand on the desk the he leaned against._

_Rachel's eyes began to water as her red lips curled into a smile. "Minato"_

_She approached him and embraced him, so engulfed in shock that she was so close to the boy that she could once hold in her arms, that she failed to notice Minato's glacial response. Harold simply smiled in his direction. Rachel pull back to take another look at him._

"_Look at you", she said laughing with glee. "You're a man now"_

"_What are you doing here?"_

_His frigid eyes locked onto hers. _

"_We haven't seen or heard from you in so long, we just came to congratulate you on all of your success", Rachel pleaded. "We didn't come to cause any trouble"_

"_We also came to apologize", Harold said, coming closer as well. _

"_Your dad's right", Rachel concurred. "We couldn't sleep at night until we came and said out peace"_

"_We know we've been shitty parents to you, pretty much all of your life"_

"_With the affairs"_

"_And the fighting"_

"_And how we were never really there for you"_

"_You're perfectly justified in hating us"_

"_For the rest of our lives"_

"_We deserve it"_

"_But you've got to understand that it was never our intention to hurt you, sweetheart"_

"_We mean that"_

"_And no matter how you feel about us, we'll always love you more than anything else in the world"_

"_And even though we aren't together anymore, I still love your mother very much, for your sake of course"_

"_As do I "_

"_We live completely separate lives now, and it's working out better in so many ways for the both of us"_

"_We only wish we could have realized that earlier"_

"_Instead of perpetuating a lie"_

"_We were only thinking of ourselves" _

"_We realize that now"_

"_We never thought about how that affected you"_

"_We've forgiven each other"_

"_Abundantly"_

"_We didn't come here expecting anything from you"_

"_We just wanted to see you"_

"_Are you finished?"_

_Flabbergasted and ultimately disappointed that their groveling proved useless, Rachel's blue eyes began to reflect the light from the open windows as they bled tears once more. "What do you m-"_

_Her train of thought was derailed as her vision caught a sight on the corner of Minato's desk that made her want to fall to her knees. She placed as hand on her chest as she drew closer to the object as if in a hypnotic trance, driven by the culmination of a fear that had been growing within her for eighteen years. _

_Her hair was a fair brown and her face was glowing with the dawn of motherhood. She was a beautiful woman who seemed to be around Minato's age. Her eyes were warm, caring, intuitive and inviting. Rachel assumed that her name was the one engraved on the base of the picture frame. Yet, the most ghastly of sights was the bundled, pinkish, sleeping genesis in her loving arms. He clung to his mother in slumber as Minato embraced them both for the sake of the picture._

_Rachel picked up the picture as she wept helplessly. "Is….Is this your family?" She felt as if she could vomit after having to inquire about the existence of her son's family. She was locked in a sorrowful trance by the uninviting picture._

_Minato sighed deeply. "You need to leave; I have another meeting in five minutes."_

"_But…", Harold placed a hand on her shoulder signifying that it was best that they did as he said. Rachel looked up at him once more before accepting defeat and Harold's sad eyes gave him the confirmation she had hoped she wouldn't need._

_She turned to Minato, stopping herself before she reached to hug him again. Her shaking hands intertwined. _

"_Well, as long as you're happy, you won't have to worry about us anymore", she said before turning to the door. She wanted to turn back and say more but she knew that if she did, she would only be reminded that her neither her daughter-in-law nor her grandson would ever know that she existed._

_She made her exit, leaving Harold behind. He looked over to Minato one last time. _

"_Your son will never know his grandparents. He'll never know where he came from. Is that what you want?"_

"_He came from me", Minato said coldly. "That's all he needs to know"_

_Harold closed the door behind him to see Rachel sobbing only a short distance from the elevator. He went to embrace her as she cried into his shoulder. _

"_What have we done?"_

A subtle vibration from a landing plane overhead woke Harold from his sordid journey down the roads of his failures. He ran his long fingers through his whitening hair.

The bustling Albany airport terminal created a natural noise that began to slowly fade out of Harold's range of hearing as he slipped deeper into thought. He looked behind him to see the absence of his flight number on the giant LED screen. He momentarily cursed his habit of arriving earlier than necessary, one of the many things that he did that made Gabriel laugh. His flight wouldn't depart for another two and a half hours, forcing him to wallow in his ponderings for the duration of that time.

He began the process of mulling over the weight of his mistakes, a process that he'd habituated over the course of the discumbering of his existence. His firm, his mansion, his perfect façade of a marriage and his money were all distant memories floating amid the abyss of the past, never to be recovered again.

He could only wonder, silently, never vocally, whether Minato missed him, or thought about him at any time during the seemingly endless time that they were apart. He pondered over the outlandish and silly idea that he missed his father as much as Harold missed his son and that one day in the future, after years of agonistic waiting, they would reunite and all would be buried and forgotten.

_I guess it isn't too far-fetched. Even old men can dream, I suppose._

For an reason he couldn't decipher, he felt somehow that his flight home to Gabriel would be delayed. There was a crowd of people of people taking pictures of a man and two women in the distance, evading Harold's preoccupied attention. He suddenly felt the green tea he partook in earlier that morning beginning to take effect and made a quick exit to the urinals located around the corner near the center of the crowd of people taking pictures.

An unpleasant smell befell his highly bridged nose as he entered the restroom that was filled with men. All of the stalls were occupied as well as all of the urinals, with the exception of two. He hurried his pace before someone else got to it, unzipped his pants and began to relieve himself. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the idea that his flight wasn't for quite a while, and for a brief moment in his life there was nothing and no one pressing him into something that had to be done.

He could hear the crowd of people near the entrance of the restroom as the swinging door opened.

The noise stopped with the closing of the door.

A clocking of shoes was heard as a man about the same height as Harold approached the urinal parallel to his.

The child like idea that he had before was more childish then than it ever was as the man next to him began to relieve himself as well. He smelled like designer cologne, Harold silently deduced that it was probably one of the people that attracted the swarm of people outside the restroom.

Out of the view of his peripheral vision, he could see that the man had hair that was an ivory-white; he was once a blonde in his younger days. He noticed that he was finished.

The older man walked in the other direction without taking another look at the one next to him. But he failed to realize that a pair of blue eyes was watching him instead. The blue eyes were blinded by pain, his nose insulted by the foul scents of the past, his ears brutalized by the shouts of curses and expletives of yesterday.

Harold let the cold water run over his soapy hands, splashing some of the refreshing liquid onto his tired face. The water got on to his hair, allowing a few locks of the white hair to drop down over his eyes. He was suddenly reminded of the way his father used to wear his hair before his death. Only a few locks gone array.

He looked down at his feet as a few men left the restroom, using the sink on the other side of the restroom. He could see from his peripheral vision that the tall man was washing hands on the opposite side of the abhorrently smelling restroom. His reflection was perfectly bonded with the smell of the room as he began to connect the sinking of his cheeks and the whitening of his hair with the life of worry and stress he'd led. Contrasting to even his beloved, he was in his seventies with not so much as a trace of a relationship with the people he called his family, the very same people who didn't know that he existed.

The sporadic spots and splotches littering the surface of the mirror that began to block the image of a weeping man were his only refuge from the shame that was presented explicitly before him. His immense sorrow for the loss of the family, living elsewhere in his own world in a place where he failed to reach them, cloaked his shortcomings in the tears that fell from his eyes. He sobbed helplessly, not caring about the strange glances that were pointed his way. The tall figure stopped briefly before leaving the restroom.

Harold departed from the haunting glass and exited the restroom as well.

The crowd of people had dispersed once he was given the chance to breath in air that didn't reek of urine, and a new set of people were sitting in the row of seats he occupied only a few minutes earlier. He couldn't help but notice the sight of two women, one older, the other younger, both with brown-ish hair, one sitting on the end of the row, and the other sitting in Harold's seat. He was instantly reminded that he'd left his bag underneath the chair.

He slowly approached his former seat, not wanting to appear brutish.

"Excuse me, miss", he said to the older woman. "My bag is underneath your seat, I was sitting hear a few minutes ago"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry", she said reaching underneath the seat and retrieving the small luggage for him. "Here you go"

"Thank you"

She smiled back up at him and looked back down at her phone. Harold turned around and sat across them in another row of seating and they commenced to sit in amongst the moderate chatter coming from the mouths of the people waiting for their flights and waiting for taxis to take them from the airport to their respective east coast destinations. The younger woman seemed to be intrigued by the name stitched in black thread on the sleeve of his grey leather jacket. Her eyes were fastened onto the name as he lips silently mouthed its pronunciation, being baffled by both its lettering and her sitting distance away from Harold.

Harold caught her staring and she laughed softly.

The older woman remained occupied by her phone.

"Forgive me for staring, but that name on your jacket, its sounds awfully familiar", she said as Harold shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "How is it pronounced?"

"It's easier than it looks, its 'U-zu-ma-ki'"

The older woman's head shot up as she too fixated her eyes on Harold. She had never heard the name in association with anyone outside of her immediate family. She would admit that it was indeed a strange name, surely a name that was at the most exclusive to her and her relatives. Suddenly, her eyes were splashed with the precious waters of speculation as the strange man's features began to resemble someone she knew too well, his cheekbones, his height, his hair, his long lanky fingers, his deep blue eyes.

"That's my last name", she said, still in a subtle state of shock. "I'm Kushina, by the way"

"Harold", he rose to his feet and shook her hand. _I suppose someone was bound to have my last name._

_Unless…It couldn't be…_

"And I'm Ember", she said shaking his hand as well. "Salazar, not Uzumaki", she laughed.

"Pleasure to meet you ladies", he said taking a seat next to Ember. "So are you two together?"

"Yes, actually she's my…um….."

"I'm a good friend"

"Yes, we're good friends", Kushina smiled. "My husband and I are going to see our son in Chelsea"

_Erlӓuterung_

_Could that really be his mother, Minato's wife, this can't be a coincidence, her name is Uzumaki, and so is her husband's, as well as her son who lives in Chelsea, that's where he lives, maybe…_

"Forgive me for being invasive, but would your son's name happen to be Naruto?"

"Yes it would, I mean yes it is", she said with a puzzled look. "How did you know?"

"He's the famous football player isn't he?"

"Why yes, I suppose that would explain it"

"And your husband, his name is Minato, right?"

Kushina's cordial smile began to fade. Ember looked from him to her feeling the magnitude of the secret that was unfolding in front of her. During her following of Charlotte she'd read Naruto's biography, which said that his grandparents were killed in an undocumented car accident before he was born. She sat silently as her previous notions were slashed lie hay fresh from the earth.

"You must've heard about him in the news, he's become quite famous ever since he started in energy", she said rationalizing to no one.

Harold sighed deeply. He knew he would regret the words that were boiling in the back of his throat. He was about to transform her husband into a son and liar, something she most likely wasn't expecting from a complete stranger at an airport in another state. Yet there was something about his age that made everything fine and good. After years of flogging himself over the mistakes he'd made, he felt that the time had truly come to dispense of his guilt.

"He has brown triangular mark on his inner thigh; it's been there since he was born. He hates anything with a slimy texture, he always wipes his mouth with his right hand even though he's left handed. He's allergic to pollen from oak trees. He has a pattern for each individual day of the week and only deviates from it for his family. He never lets anyone know that he's afraid. He believes in image. He lays out all of his clothes for the week on Sunday right before it gets dark. And he'd do anything for the people he loves, even kill"

Kushina placed a hand over her mouth as tears formed at the brim of her blank eyes.

"Minato is my son"

She couldn't speak as his words didn't sink in as fast as she wanted them to.

"My ex-wife and I were terrible to him as a child. We were both involved in extra-marital affairs, and we let our hate, or what we thought was hate, for each other bleed into our relationship with our son. Rightfully so, he's hated us ever since he was a boy. Once he established himself, he let it be known that Rachel, that's my ex-wife's name, and I were both killed in a car crash. We tried reaching out to him but his mind was made. He wanted neither of us to have anything to do with his own life, and neither did he want to let our mistakes dictate his life. For almost thirty years I've been looking for your son, that's actually why I'm here. I came here hoping to meet him, but I was too late. My flight back to LA is in two hours, I'm going back home to the only man I cheated on my wife with. I met him when I was in college and lost touch with him. After being run out of his town for being gay, he came to LA. I was never honest with myself about how much I was in love with him, and for that Minato harbored a hate for me that probably still exists. And the most painful part is that I deserve it"

Kushina's stark eyes soon shifted to a chagrined man standing a few yards away from the three of them. His eyes were fixed onto the older version of himself, he was soon filled with the same emotions that fled into him on the occasion of the last time they'd seen each other.

"How much did you hear?" Kushina said rising to her feet and approaching Minato.

"I heard enough"

"Is the taxi outside?"

"Yes", he said grimly.

Ember rose to her feet as well. "We'd better go before the traffic gets too bad", she turned to Harold. "It was nice meeting you"

"Likewise"

"Kushina, please just listen to me…"

"Listen to what? Another lie? You are the most selfish man I have ever known. I can't believe you would deprive your own son of knowing his grandparents over a silly grudge from when you were a child, that you deprived your own parents of knowing your family, and most of all that you would lie to me for all these years. I thought I was worth more to you than the mistakes your parents made, but I guess I was wrong"

Ember, with her bag over her shoulder and her more own family reunion in mind, began walking to the exit. Kushina slowly began to follow after tearing her hurt eyes away from her husband. The image of the two of them walking down the hallway reminded him that the cares of the day would soon increase.

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble", came a standing voice from behind him. "I had to tell her the truth"

Minato turned menacingly around to his father. "And ruin my life again?"

"I never ruined your life. You ruined mine"

Minato approached his older counterpart. "What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me", he said, his voice not changing. "You've experienced nothing but success since you left home. You have a perfect wife, and your son is one the best athletes of this generation. Not to mention your oil company is one of the most lucrative entities in the country. _Me, _on the other hand, I spent all of the money I saved after my accounting firm collapsed to bail your mother and I out of jail after you had us arrested for trying to talk to you. I've been so busy punishing myself for the past forty years for what I've done that I failed to realize you've been punishing me enough. I can't get a job anywhere because every accounting firm in LA thinks I'm an imposter because the 'real' Harold Uzumaki is supposed to be dead, I have no family, no money, and I had to move my husband and I into a shithole apartment that reeks of old flesh and death. And the best part of all of this is that I get to go back to LA I'll be up to my ass in debt from this blank trip, with no nothing to show for it"

"_Flight 311 to Los Angeles is now boarding, flight 311 to LAX is now boarding."_

"I know we've made our mistakes, and if you think we deserve to be completely cut off for doing so, far be it from me to stop you. I'm 74 years old; I can't do this anymore. I'll never be content with all of this, but I don't know what else I can do to show that I still love you. So this is what I'll do. I'll go back to LA, live out the rest of my life and then I'll die, sooner or later Gabriel will die as well, and so will your mother. Then you won't have to worry about us anymore"

"_Final call for flight 311 to LAX"_

"Have a nice life, son", he said before walking past a frozen Minato, into the hallway that led to the jet passage to the plane. An over waged air of guilt and shame was left behind as the bearer left it to die, he would never bring down the hand of shame upon himself even again as the hand was lain to rest.

Minato ran a hand through his hair as he turned towards the exit of the airport to join the others.

The light of the sun poured over the sleeping forms of two distant bodies underneath the crisp cool white sheets. The crevices of their flesh that remained untouched by the surface of the covering cloth were lit like small lamps of persistent hope. A pair of blue eyes greeted the design of the gold ceiling and the slowly spinning fan. They moved back and forth as to make sure that his surroundings were what they appeared to be, a habit that he formed over the course of the past few years.

* * *

><p>A slender woman laid deep in complacency beside him as the sun's rays peered through the windows of the double doors that led to the haunting balcony. The slight sound of life outside the lifeless room tugged at him to get out of bed and tend to his morning exercise routine before the gym got too crowded. He didn't want to disturb her slumber. He knew what he had done the night before, and so did she. But his recollection was soaked not with vigor and ecstasy, but with shame as red a blood. His heart was miles away but he felt a pair of eye on his back as he sat up in bed, the same bright green eyes that haunted him in his sleep when he dared to sleep.<p>

The night's angled passion weighed heavy on his broad shoulders. He looked at the abstract clock on the night stand.

11:00

He would have to wait until noon to go to the gym. It was most likely crowded with people.

Charlotte shifted in slumber, sighing deeply when she found comfort again. Naruto turned his head slightly to the left, only catching a glimpse of his sleeping wife in his peripheral vision. He rich brown hair was the only thing visible as the overly plush pillow all but swallowed her soft profile. She seemed to fall deeper into the starving object with every move she made.

_Schuldigung_

He rose to his feet and made his way to the bathroom. He could hear the nanny waking up NJ in the room down the hall. He felt a familiar notion in his gut, the only one he felt when he was home and surrounded by the people in his life who weren't afraid of life outside of the aura.

He brushed the quiet idea out of his way as he entered the bathroom. The first image he could see was his own, the image of what was decided to be the most effective version of himself. How could he accomplish more with a lesser being? How could he be greater?

He brushed back his blonde hair as he grabbed the sweat pants and the black tank top that were draped over the counter, the maid must've have laid them out before he woke up.

"Good morning", came a sultry purr from the bedroom. Naruto's stomach tightened as he grabbed a towel from the golden rack behind him. He paused before he returned anything to her. He was beginning to grow weary of the game they played, the game that no one seemed to be in on. He turned the light off in the bathroom before exiting.

He simply smiled at her as she sat up in bed. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Naruto grabbed his duffle bag and attempted to make a quick exit.

"Naruto wait", she said laughing softly. He stopped in the doorway, his hand clutching the knob.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"You know I go to the gym every other morning"

"But don't you want to stay for just a little while longer so we can…you know…"

"I wish I could but I have to get there before it gets too late, I promise I won't be long", he said approaching the bed. "I don't want to get soft before training starts"

She sighed into a comfortable smile. "I understand", she cupped his chin, running her fingers across the in-coming hair. "Remember we're taking NJ to the zoo today"

The doorbell rang a few times. The both of them looked towards the door as if gazing upon the storming of a mysterious beacon of altruism of which neither wanted the other to know they had the knowledge. The maid could be faintly heard scuffling towards the glass door downstairs.

Charlotte pulled herself out of bed and combed her hands through her tousled hair as she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up. "Can you go see who that is honey?"

"Sure", he said, sighing with relief at the arrival of his saving grace. He walked down the hallway and saw that NJ's room was empty and his bed was made. All of his toys that littered the floor the night before were put away in the pigskin printed chest in the far corner of behind the bed. His freshly washed clothes were folded neatly on the foot of his bed. The sun coming in from his window reflected of the gallant shade of the blue that covered the bed spread.

"Mr. Uzumaki, your mother and father are here", came the German accent of the maid from the end of the hallway, a few steps away from the top of the stairs.

He gave her a blank expression, yet she knew he was boiling on the inside.

"What are they doing here?"

"I don't know sir, they're waiting downstairs", she said going into the other room to finish getting NJ ready for the day.

Naruto ran his hands over his face in frustration before taking steps toward the top of the stair at which point he saw his parents and an unfamiliar young woman sitting on the couch in the area behind the foyer. They all rose to their feet when he made his way down the stairs. Kushina was the first to approach him, yet Minato and the young woman lingered behind as if bearing a burden that was keeping their feet.

"Hi, sweetheart", she said throwing her arms around him, kissing him, her eyes already watering. "Off to the gym?"

"Son", Minato said lowly as he stepped forward. The shadows of the three standing figures created an unsettling constellation across the shining floor.

"What are you doing here?" He said flatly, keeping his blue eyes fixated on his trembling mother. "I told you, I don't want you near my family"

Minato massaged his temples at the utterance of his failures.

Kushina grabbed his hand, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, the unfamiliar woman stepped forward and placed her hand on the taller woman's shoulder. Kushina looked down at her, tearfully marveling at the freshly revolutionized woman as she stepped forward in the name of her child.

"Who is this?" Naruto asked directing the question at his parents.

"My name is Ember Salazar. You don't know who I am. But we do have something in common", she said momentarily looking down at her hands. "What I'm about to tell you will come as a shock, but you deserve to know. A few years ago, I was arrested on prostitution charges and the state was threatening to take my son away from me if I was convicted-"

"Stop right there", he turned to his weeping mother and frozen father. "I don't have time to hear any more of your fairy tales about my son not being mine, I told you before that if you don't want to be apart of my fa-"

"I wasn't finished", Ember said, a hint of anger broiling from underneath her demure surface.

Naruto turned to her before leaning closer to her. "Well, I am", he seethed to her, his voice rising. "Now I want you and these two to get the fuck out of my house!"

Her face was unmoved. She didn't step back or cower away like she would have done in the year prior to that day. She was holding on to the glimmer of hope that promised coldness and guilt if she were to ever let go.

"I gave my son to your wife in exchange of her expunging my record. She was going to tell you that he was abducted and killed so that she could give him back to me when he turned seven. I came here because I want my son back"

Naruto's face drained of all emotion. He looked up at his parents. Kushina wept harder than before. Minato stood silently as Ember detailed the affair.

"What did you just say to me?"

Ember looked up at him, undaunted as she braved the icy storm of his gaze.

"I said, Jonathan Salazar is my son and I want him back", she said reaching into her bag and pulling out two crumpled pieces of paper. She held the documents in front of his face only for him to snatch the birth certificate out of her hand to skim over it. Kushina stepped forward.

"Now honey try to stay calm"

A set of feet could be heard behind them coming down the stairs. Charlotte, in a pair of black jeans and silk open blouse, approached the huddle of tumult with a look of suppressed horror and fury when she laid eyes on the brown haired woman standing in front of her husband. Kushina wiped her eyes and Minato put his arms around her waist. She looked back at him with an expression of love that she could find a reason to give him in longer than she was proud of.

"Naruto, what's going on?"

He handed the document back to the shaking alleged mother and turned to Charlotte as his heart began to pound violently against the interior of his chest.

"Nothing, these people were just leaving", he said walking past his parent to open the door for them to exit. Minato looked over to Ember with graveness in his eyes. She didn't perceive the weight of the cost of shattering man's world, but she knew it meant nothing when compared to not having her child.

"Go ahead", he said to her.

Ember bit down on the inside of her bottom lip and pulled out a taped together collage. Charlotte took a step in retreat closer to the stairs when she saw Kushina's eyes fixed onto her trembling form. She didn't say a word, she only looked, a with the look she heard everything Kushina said to her.

"Everything you've done to us is all over now"

_Alles, den Sie zu uns getan haben, ist überall jetzt_

Ember turned to him with the cluster of memories in her hands and handed it to him. They exchanged a glance before he closed the door and took the item from her. The streets, the kitchen, his mother sniffling, Charlotte bursting into tears as well, the maid shushing a chattering nameless child in the bathroom upstairs, were all muted as his eyes glazed over the collage of the fears that he'd put behind him. His strong hands felt as if they had no strength at all. His blue eyes shimmered as a tear dropped onto the picture of the child and his mother at his first day of daycare. It was clearly the boy he'd comme to know as his own with his hair in its natural brown state, yet as long as he could convince himself otherwise, his sanity was still in his possession.

"I'm sorry", she said as she watched the wires being cut. "I never meant for it to go this far, but I can't live another day without him"

He looked up at Charlotte with hot river pouring from his eyes. "Why is our son in these pictures?" He walked closer to her as he let the photographs slip from his feeble hands. His eyes couldn't leave hers, he couldn't bear to see the boy standing at the top of the stairs. He could never look at him again, his soul couldn't take it.

Charlotte opened her mouth to speak but words did not cross her lips.

"Answer me!" He shouted making her jolt in fear.

Before Charlotte could open her mouth to speak again, a small boy with wet, freshly dyed hair walked down the stairs. Naruto watched in gut wrenching horror as he walked toward the woman standing in the foyer. She fell to her knees, the impact of her bones hitting the floor reverberating off the rest of the tile floors. Her dead eyes were granted with the gift of life once again as the boy hurried his pace into all out running into his mother's arms. After years of holding her breath until the point of blacking out, she was finally able to breath in the scent of her child.

She closed her eyes as she embraced him even tighter. "Mommy, what took you so long?"

Minato dashed across the floor to pull Naruto away from the screaming woman on the ground. He grappled with the wild man violently before pulling him away to a safe enough distance for Charlotte to escape up the stairs.

"You bitch! How could you do this to me?! How could you do this to me?!" He yelled to no one as he fell to the ground, falling victim to an uncontrollable fit of sobbing. Kushina gathered the mother and child and escorted them out the door to the car.

Minato knelt to the ground and embraced his son as the blinding light from the adjacent window bathed them in their own filth.

* * *

><p>Flashing lights and a few small beggars standing outside was the tawdry scene of the exterior of a New York nightclub. The night air smelled of the fresh aftermath of a fire that had been put out a few nights before in the adjacent building. A line of women and men stood against the wall of the establishment between the graffiti-stricken stone and a velvet rope. A burly man in a tattered stitched together leather jacket stood by the double-doors checking IDs, marking wrists, and turning away red-faced teenagers and men wired on crystal meth.<p>

The rhythmic thumping of the music coming from inside could be felt by the people waiting to get in, fueling the wary feeling in their stomachs, the feeling of being unprepared for being morphed into the cosmic warmth of a larger mass of humanity.

The sky-brushing buildings were lit and

A dark vehicle pulled to a stop just outside the building at the end of the same block.

_Rot_

The soft lit sign above the entrance was a small declaration of the popularity of the dancery. It flickered every few seconds as more people were permitted to enter. The doors were blacked-out, preventing everyone inside from seeing the exasperated faces of those waiting in the endless line outside and providing a perfect view of strobe lights and beautiful people for the people in the line. No one knew where they came from and no one knew where they were going. It was a statue for the lost.

When the doors were opened to let someone in, the bright lights shined onto the back of the security guard, projecting an eerie constellation against the surface of the street.

There was a faint coat of condensation that began to appear on the outside of the double doors. The heat of flesh and radiating bodies plastered itself onto the glass like sweat dripping down a brow.

A slender body began to tremble on that night and a pair of hazel eyes watched the expanding, contracting and rippling body of patrons. He placed his arm onto the railing of the balcony of the second level eyeing every move, every bead of sweat, ever cent paid for a drink, basking in the partaking of his poison.

Gideon Peat was a native to New York and not a stranger to nepotism. His father could be found in the backroom on the weekdays managing the books, his recently convicted and released younger brother guarded the door and his sex –addicted cousin worked at the bar, all but begging women to buy more drinks and stay for a while

The club started out as an organic food store before it became the dance mecca of the lower east side. The owner was a French immigrant who'd only been in the country for a few years. He saw the property in a magazine and the bank happily let him the money to open a store on account that he had a similar store in Toulouse. The store was bustling until his much younger wife left him and cleaned out his IRA. Boarding up the establishment, he moved back to France to live with his sister.

Peat had been eyeing the place for a while during the three years that it remained unused.

He finally saved enough money selling sports cars at a dealer in Queens to renovate what would become one of the highlights of the area, among a huddle of tax offices and small scale restaurants.

His vision was locked onto the newest addition to his ever rotating staff of young dancers.

The cage had been taken down when the steel rope intended to hoist it up rusted the night before, trapping one of the dancers until Gideon's brother lifted the cage himself. A pair of bare feet stood atop a fat lit white platform dancing until the clock ran out of ways to torture him.

His short red hair swayed as a cold bead of sweat could be felt rolling slowly down the back of his neck. Eyes followed his every move and he knew the owner of those eyes and their intentions, they haunted him. They warned him not to leave this place, or else he would be devoured by his most prevalent fears. The black eyeliner caked onto his eyelids made it hard to blink when he looked in the direction of his boss. He was a detestable man.

He had been making advances at Gaara for the duration of his employment at Red but the youth had been successful thus far at formulating an escape plan. He knew that success would soon run dry, however. The older man had been standing afar licking his lips for nearly an hour.

_I wish I knew how to fight._

He was well aware of the lack of possibilities lying in the hands of his previous love affair, but he couldn't help but admit that he'd habituated preserving his passion for the same man. He was beginning to think that he was saving himself for a fantasy, an untouchable delusion whose validity was only visible to him. He cursed himself for running away that night.

The men below him shouted disgusting things up at him, throwing money at his trembling feet. He could feel their eyes pulling and tugging at his skin, taunting his fears, exploiting his insecurities, biting into his passions, squeezing the life out of him in every way. He grew embarrassed at how much he was beginning to sweat. The black eyeliner dribbled down his eyelid into his eye, prompting his hand to tend fiercely to his burning eyes.

"Hey!"

He looked over to Gideon who was snapping his fingers with a faint smirk hiding beneath his facial hair. He mouthed 'keep dancing' before turning to leave. His figure could be seen in quick frames as he walked down the stairs and to his office.

As the music played on and his time on the terrifying platform inched closer to expiration, he began to dread what he knew his boss was thinking of. Half of his face was smudged with black makeup; from far away it looked like he had been given a black eye.

A weakening premonition settled onto Gaara's gut. He looked around him, dancing all the time. He smiled, knowing that he was the only one who knew the source of his joy and excitement. He was the only one in the whole room who knew how it felt when Naruto used to press his fingers into his milky flesh, driving him to the peak of his desires. He found trouble believing that he was so close by. Was he real? Or was his subliminal fear of losing him playing a cruel joke on him.

_Why the hell would he be here?_

_How does he even know I'm here?_

_It might just be gas._

An hour and a half passed and people were beginning to show up in droves when the clock struck 11. Gaara's shift was coming to an end and he, with assistance from a man below, jumped down from the platform.

"I haven't seen you around here for very long", yelled the shorter man over the music. He was shirtless and had a tattoo of a heart on his chest.

"I've only been here for about two months", Gaara said playfully, trying to get away.

"Maybe I just haven't been paying attention", he laughed softly. "Hey, if you're not in a hurry to leave I'd love to buy you a drink"

"Oh, no thanks. I don't drink"

The man laughed out loud. "You mean to tell me a young guy like you doesn't drink?"

Gaara simply smiled, still looking for a reason to get away.

"What, are you not old enough?"

"No, my father was an angry drunk who beat my mother and tried to kill me", he said still smiling. He patted the man on his shoulder before walking in the direction of the dressing room.

"Have a nice night", were his last words to the dumbfounded man.

The dressing room was empty when Gaara opened the doors and sat down in front of the mirror. Gideon wanted the guys to take their clothes off if someone paid them enough since a percentage of their tips went back to the club; luckily he maintained his secrets that night.

He reached across the counter and grabbed a moist napkin to wipe his face. He felt a sense of warmth seeing his face in its natural state, there was one thing that they hadn't taken from him just yet. He heard a faint buzzing noise coming from the lockers behind him. He got up and opened the metal door to reveal his clothes, his bag and his buzzing phone. He had three voicemails from the financial aid office. He was in default on a loan that he took out in LA.

He sighed deeply before shutting the door. He put on a pair of short black denim shorts and a black tank top. A pair of shoes could be heard approaching from the hallways amid the faint thumping of the music coming from the dance floor. Gaara squeezed his fists as tightly as he could; trying to muster as much courage as he possibly could in that moment.

_You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. You are in control of your body and no one can take that control away from you. _

"Anybody in here?"

Gaara, still behind the lockers, hesitated before answering. "Yeah, I'm in here"

The taller man came around the corner with his hands in the pockets of his slacks eyed his newest employee lustfully before approaching.

"Leaving?"

"Yeah, my shift was over a few minutes ago"

He propped himself against the wall of lockers next to him. "You were great out there tonight"

"Thanks", he said nervously, feeling the promise he'd made for himself slipping through the cracks of make-shift life.

"Listen, my brother's going to close up for me; I think I might head home for the night…"

"Oh, ok. Well goodnight", Gaara said, seeing a light of hope for escape shining. Suddenly his ratty apartment began to grow in appeal. Gideon chuckled momentarily before stepping out in front of Gaara in a calm manner. He reached for Gaara's waist. He pulled back, feeling the sting.

"What's wrong?"

"I…I…um"

He pulled him closer until Gaara could feel his breath bouncing off his face. The hair on his chin was inches from Gaara's face when he began to resist.

"I'm just not ready right now"

Gideon chuckled again. "Come on, don't be coy. I've seen the way you move up there"

"That's what you pay me for"

He crushed his lips onto Gaara's, pressing him into the wall behind them. The red haired dancer shoved the taller man away from him with as much strength as he could muster in the quick instance and darted for the door. He smiled through his tears. He'd saved himself once more.

Gideon was shouting something from the inside of the dressing room but Gaara didn't bother to listen or stop running. His heart was beating faster than it did when he got robbed for nothing earlier that week.

_Das Leben ist grausam_

Gaara sped through the hallway leading to the door to the alley exit.

_Du bist mein Romeo gewesen _

He didn't care if he never looked back at that place ever again. He didn't care if he had to drop out of school. He didn't care if he ended up in a shelter or on the street. He didn't care if he didn't have the money to go back home. He didn't care if he never saw the interior of the New York Metropolitan Ballet. He didn't care if he was blackballed by every restaurant and club in the state of New York. The only thing that he was certain of was that he couldn't bear to stand on that dreaded platform for another second.

He opened the door to the door to the alley and walked towards the street opposite to that of the entrance of the club. A street lamp lit the pathway, giving him a bit more assurance, yet he felt that he wouldn't be afraid anyhow. He wasn't afraid of anything anymore.

Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance. He could smell the rain in the air mixed with the frying grease coming from the metal stack of the Cajun restaurant that he was walking past. He felt lost for words as he ventured onto the sidewalk and could see a few people walking down the street. A taxi or two drove past. And then there was nothing.

He could hear an engine idling in the distance. It was a far walk to the subway but he was looking forward to seeing the city.

"Need a ride?"

Gaara was prepared to sprint across the street when he turned around to see a tall figure leaning against the wall with his hands in the pockets of a brown leather jacket.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Gaara yelled putting a hand on his chest. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I figured you needed me, so I came", he said smirking.

Gaara felt a warmth inside. "Why are you really here?"

Naruto scratched the back of his neck before motioning to the black car in the shadows. "To take you home"

"I'm taking the subway"

"Why do that when you have me?"

"I don't have you"

"But I've had you"

"I knew it was coming"

"What do you mean?"

"You came because you wanted to sleep with me"

"Not particularly, but since you brought it up…", he said running his eyes over Gaara's nearly bare legs.

"My boss just shoved his tongue down my throat, so I hate to tell you but I'm not in the mood"

"I can make it a quick one"

"Pig"

"You haven't seen me in two months and this is the greeting I get?"

"I don't watch football, if you were expecting me to ask for your autograph"

"Everybody loves football"

"Everybody doesn't include me"

Naruto chuckled. "So what's the real reason why you won't let me take you home?"

"Because I'm taking the subway", Gaara said. "I'm starting to think getting smashed around is messing with your hearing"

"I'm not letting you take the subway"

"You're not my father"

Naruto winced inside.

"Why do you want to take me home so badly anyway?"

"Everybody needs someone to talk to every now and then", he said with a sly smile. Gaara held his ground for a moment before giving in.

"Fine"

"I know this great Chinese place in Chelsea"

"That's nice, but I don't live anywhere near Chelsea"

"Who said I was taking you straight home, I'm starving", he said opening the door for Gaara to get in. Naruto took a secretive breath of Gaara's scent before closing the door and walking to the other side of the car. Gaara exhaled deeply before Naruto got into the car.

They started off down the street before Naruto spoke up, not wanting to hear the silence that was eating him alive.

"You know you really can't blame your boss"

"What do you mean?"

"I'd wanna nail you"

"Thanks for the compliment"

"You know what I mean"

"For your information, my _former_-boss is a sleaze with a napoleon complex"

"Why do you say that?"

"One of the other dancers that slept with him said that it's literally the size of a crayon"

Naruto burst into laughter.

"No thanks", Gaara said folding his arms across his chest.

They stopped at a red light and Naruto turned to his passenger. "Am I the biggest you've had?"

Gaara smirked. "Why?"

"Just curious"

"No"

"…"

"If you hadn't noticed already, you're the only guy I've been with"

"You're lying"

"No I'm not. I haven't slept with a single guy other than you"

Naruto smiled. "That does wonders for my ego", he said sardonically.

The silence returned.

"But then again, I don't feel like size matters very much"

"Of course it does"

"How would you know? You're a top"

"I just don't see how size won't matter, especially with Mr. Crayon"

"What matters is how well you work with what you have, not how loud you can make someone scream"

"Do I work well with what I have?"

"I'm not about to give you a performance report"

"Why not?"

"For one thing, it's been a while", he said feeling slightly uncomfortable.

They pulled into the parking row in front of Sing Sing's Chinese Bistro. It was a two level restaurant that was open twenty-four hours during the weekdays and was moderately populated. It still baffled Gaara how Naruto deflected any fears of being seen in public with him, no matter how he was dressed.

"Why didn't you tell me this place was upscale?"

"Slipped my mind", he said getting out of the car and opening the door for Gaara.

"Slipped your mind?" Gaara said getting out of the car. "I should slip my fist across your face. Look at the way I'm dressed", he could see Charlotte's face in the back of his mind as well as his mother's.

_It's only midnight; the paparazzi are probably watching us right now. I shouldn't be gambling with my mother's freedom like this. She'd never do anything like this to me._

"You look fine to me", Naruto placed his hand on the small of Gaara's back as they walked closer to the double doors.

"Of course I look fine to you. I could walk in in pasties and a thong and I'd look fine to you"

"Don't tease me"

"Fucktard"

"Look, we'll sit in the back", he said wrapping his arm fully around Gaara's waist, pulling him closer. "Don't worry."

Gaara looked up at him as if he were a madman.

"Naruto what are you doing?"

"When we get a table I want to hear how school is going"

Before Gaara could say another word they were at the front desk and the host came to greet who she expected to be Mr. and Mrs. Uzumaki on their usual evening stroll down the avenue after NJ was put in bed. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped short when she laid her eyes upon the scantily dressed red-headed young male on his arm instead of the beautiful brunette that was there nearly three weeks earlier.

"Good evening Mr. Uzumaki….", she paused looking an embarrassed Gaara from head to toe. "Is the misses not feeling well", she said pretending to be naïve.

"The misses is a lying conniving bitch and I hope she rots in hell", he said smiling. "I'd like a table for two"

The mouths of the host, Gaara and a few people sitting near the front of the restaurant hanged a gape at the sound of the country's most famous athlete blatantly denouncing what they knew as the mother of their child. Gaara looked up at him as the bewildered host led them to a table towards the far end of the restaurant.

"A waiter will be right with you", she said in a stark voice before hurriedly putting their menus in front of them and scurrying to the back. Upon her departure Naruto began to scan over the menu only for Gaara to snatch it from his grasp. Naruto gave him a surprised look.

"What did you do that for?"

"Because you're a lunatic!"

Naruto smirked. "Damn you're sexy when you're mad at me"

Gaara sighed deeply and momentarily closed his eyes, collecting his wits before he went into cardiac arrest.

"Naruto, will you please tell me what is going on?"

He paused for a moment before beginning. "Two months ago my parents told me that NJ wasn't mine. I didn't believe them so I told them that I didn't want them near my family anymore. They came back a week later with….Jonathan's biological mother, an ex-prostitute who let Charlotte pretend to be his mother in exchange for getting the charges dropped…"

Gaara placed a hand over his mouth.

"I don't know what came over me, I just got so mad. I would have really hurt her had it not been for my father. She was threatening to call the police and have me arrested. But my mother brought up the fact that she and someone from the Louisiana DA's office had been illegally obtaining files and evidence from your mother's case. Once that got aired out she agreed to a divorce; she moved back to California with her parents. N…..Jonathan is back in LA with his mother", Naruto said as his countenance was cracked and broken with every word he spoke. A lone tear fell from his eye.

Gaara's growling stomach dropped.

"I'm sorry, Naruto"

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault"

"No, but I knew what was going on and I didn't tell you"

Naruto chuckled. "Don't beat yourself up. Odds are I wouldn't have believed you if you did tell me"

The red headed youth slightly dropped his head.

"It's a terrible thing she did to you and your mother. I only wish I could've pulled my head out of my ass long enough to do something about it"

"She's safe now. That's all that matters", Gaara said with relief in his voice.

"I won't lie. It'll be a while before I can move on from this whole thing. But I'm on the right track, right?"

"Two months wasn't that long ago"

Naruto cracked a small smile. "I guess you could say it's easier with someone you can trust"

Naruto smiled as he delved into Gaara's eyes.

The waiter came out with a steaming plate of cream cheese wontons. He set the plate down in front of them and Naruto refrained from laughing at his nearly drooling counterpart. The fury of his hunger was more evident than the color of his hair. He told the waiter that they needed a few more minutes before they were ready to order.

Gaara stomach growled audibly.

Naruto laughed. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Today"

Naruto gave him a knowing look.

"Yesterday"

The look remained.

"Wednesday"

"You haven't eaten in two days?!"

"You might want to yell louder, I don't think the people on the second floor heard you"

"Why the fuck haven't you eaten in two days?"

"I had rehearsals, classes, I work three jobs-"

"I still haven't heard a valid reason for not eating in two days"

"Since when did you become my father?" Gaara quickly realized what he'd said. "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry"

"It's fine", he said. "What's not fine is that you're not eating"

"I haven't been that hungry lately, that all"

"If I got in my car and drove to Canada I could hear your stomach growling"

The smell of the steaming wontons compelled him to pick one up. He put it in front of him giving it time to cool off.

"Look, just because I'm going through a little rough patch doesn't mean you have to go all super-hero on me. I can take care of myself"

Naruto sighed deeply "I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself. But even you have to admit, this is a little insane"

"….."

"Look, at least let me buy you a few things to hold you over until whenever"

"No"

"Why not?"

"I can't ask you for money after all you've been through"

"Trust me, I'm fine. And you don't have to ask, I'm offering"

"Naruto-"

"Then it's settled", he said looking at his menu again.

Gaara smiled to himself before biting into his wonton.

"I hear you're in ballet school now"

"How did you know that?"

"Lucky guess?" Naruto smirked as the waiter came back to their table and the both of them ordered.

"I always knew you were stalking me"

"In my defense, the stalking was requested"

Gaara smacked his forehead with his palm. "How did my mom get your number?"

"She didn't say"

"I'm going to put her back in jail myself"

"Go easy on her, it's tough having her baby so far away", he said chuckling.

"I'm 20 years old"

"I think it's kind of cute"

"What exactly did she tell you?"

"Oh, nothing too bad. She wanted to know how things were going with me, how the games are going, she said even though we weren't technically an item she still wanted me to keep an eye out for you"

"How caring of her", Gaara said sarcastically.

"I have to admit, it did get a little awkward when she asked if we were still sleeping together"

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her I have you handcuffed to my bed every other day"

"You're lying"

"I know, I just wanted to see your reaction"

"Trust me; I'm concealing my reaction because I'm pretty sure your fans wouldn't want to see you get your ass kicked by a guy smaller than you"

Naruto growled playfully.

"Is there a button on you that turns your libido off?"

"You're welcome to look for it"

"I walked right into that one"

"Yeah, you did"

"I hope this isn't how you treat your dates"

"Only the ones I plan on fucking later"

"I guess that makes this a non-date"

"Can't blame a guy for trying?"

"For the record, you're supposed to be looking out for my safety not looking for ways to get me into bed"

"My bed's pretty safe", Naruto smirked across at him making his entire body tingle.

_I won't last another second if he keeps looking at me like that. It feels like it just got ten degrees hotter in here._ Gaara shifted in his chair.

"Can you at least give the guns a rest while I eat?"

"Fair enough"

They say in silence for e few moments as they ate. Gaara's stomach prompted him to wolf down his food but he resisted. Naruto looked up at him after finishing his food in a few short minutes.

"So how's ballet school?"

"Tiring. But it's all worth it if I want to get hired for a dance company"

"I've just got to see you dance"

"I'm not sure what your game schedule looks like but there's a showcase in a few weeks. You should come by if you're still in New York"

"I'll be there", he said smiling slightly.

Gaara felt a chill run from his heart to the soles of his feet. _I want him so badly._

* * *

><p>Naruto's car pulled up to the broken curb of a shabby looking apartment building in Brooklyn. There were groups of people on the sidewalks playing poker and a few people walking by. Gaara dug hopelessly through his junky bag for his full key chain. As the two of them got out of the car Naruto's face contorted into an expression of pure disgust.<p>

He looked around to see buildings that were in similar conditions. He noticed the stark difference between these and the apartment that his younger counterpart resided in in LA. A heaviness began to form in his heart as his eyes took in the sight of the Brooklyn complex.

"Don't look at my building like that"

Naruto pointed at the building. "You live in this thing?"

"It's affordable and it doesn't have rats. What else can you ask for?" he said flippantly before approaching the front doors. The building was more or less tall with a few of the windows broken on the upper floors. A loud yelling could be heard coming out of the one of the windows that was lit.

Naruto closed the gap between them as Gaara opened the door fixing his gaze on the source of the yelling. "I think I better walk you to your door"

Gaara chuckled softly. "Are your LA rich kid instincts going off right now?"

"Yeah, something like that", Naruto said looking at all the cracks in the walls and children running up and down the hallway. Gaara's unit was on the first level adjacent to a door that led to the alley next to the building. The door was a dark burgundy and had been painted over several times in the past.

The left side of the door was lined with several locks, each requiring an individual key. Gaara finally found his keys at the bottom of his bag before turning around to see Naruto still scowling at his surroundings.

"You know, it really isn't that bad once you get used to everything"

Loud music could be heard in the next apartment. Naruto stepped closer to him. Gaara could smell the mesmerizing scent of his cologne and the cool rush of his breath against his face.

"Thanks for the dinner"

"Anytime"

"I guess I'll see you around", Gaara turned around to open his door but something inside him prevented him from moving. His heart started beating quickly, his breath shortening. He lost all feeling in his legs and began to grow weak from the heat radiating between their bodies.

Naruto's piercing blue eyes sliced through Gaara's warm flesh. His strong hands cupped Gaara's face before ravaging his quivering lips with an enlivening passion. The red headed youth moaned softly as he felt the rough hairs on Naruto's square chin bristle against his face. He could feel the passion of the kiss causing his body to melt.

Gaara yelped softly when Naruto pinned him against the door and proceeded to bite into his neck.

He paused in his assault of Gaara's flesh for a moment to look into his green eyes.

"What is it?" Gaara asked softly.

"I can't go another night without you", he said hoarsely. "Come back to my loft tonight"

"But I can't", he said without much conviction in his voice. Their passion was more than their will to resist.

"Let me grab my toothbrush"


End file.
